


The Beginning of The End

by lokishorcrux



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Canon Compliant Violence, F/M, after Winter Soldier
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-18
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-02-17 21:11:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 125,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2323331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lokishorcrux/pseuds/lokishorcrux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When SHIELD collapses, Darcy and Jane are forced to seek refuge on Asgard.  But Darcy doesn't count on one night time wander leading to her encountering a God who, by all accounts, is supposed to be dead. However Loki has been kept alive for a reason. And it's a reason that could lead to the destruction of the universe itself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The End of The World

_Is this the end of the world?_   
_I cannot bear to watch it burn_   
_But we're crawling in the dirt._   
_Is this the end of it all?_   
_Well we used to stand so tall._   
_I barely recognise us anymore._

* * *

Logically, the tale of how the world ended would start at the beginning. However that is a story of hammers and giants, of hidden truths and self-discovery. The story of another woman and another God whose tale could not be given justice in these chapters.

Perhaps then the middle, a story of blue cubes and red energy, of dark elves and chitauri, of heroes and villains. A long and complex story which would only come slightly closer to the true tale of how the world ended.

So then, the story starts at the beginning of the end. A story of tasers and chapstick, of leather and helmets, of books and candlelight. A story of how a broken man found love in the most unlikely of places. A story of how love found an intern despite her best efforts to avoid it. A story of arguments, hatred, affection, disdain and passion.

A story, in short, of Ragnarök.

* * *

The end of the world started not with a bang but with a phone call.

"Hello?" Darcy asked, frowning at her phone. The number wasn't just unknown but the text across the screen said it was blocked from access. That was a first.

"Darcy?" The voice replied. "Oh thank God."

"Kate?" Darcy asked recognising the voice.

"Yeah listen-" She cut off as Darcy heard banging in the background.

"Is that gunfire?" Darcy asked, mouth gaping.

Jane looked up from where she was working, frowning at her questioningly.

"Yes. I don't have long so just listen, stuff is going down at SHIELD. If you are in a SHIELD facility you have to get out now. Okay?" Kate said.

"What?" Darcy asked in confusion. "Kate? Kate what's happening at SHIELD? Kate?"

But the other end was silent.

"Shit." Darcy swore.

"Darcy?" Jane asked. "What's happening?"

"We have to get out of here." Darcy replied.

"What? Why?" Jane asked, looking round at the lab.

"I don't know. Kate said shit was going down at SHIELD and we have to get out." Darcy grabbed her bag and started towards the door.

"That's it?" Jane asked, running to catch up. "That's all she said?"

"There wasn't time; I heard gun shots at the other end of the line." Darcy was trying to walk quickly down the halls without looking like she was running.

Jane was right next to her. "Where was she?"

"I don't know, she was in Washington last time I spoke to her." Darcy replied. She'd met Kate when they worked at the SHIELD facility in New Mexico but she worked undercover for SHIELD and moved wherever she was needed.

Darcy and Jane however were still in England, researching the residual energy from the planetary alignments.

Or more specifically they were in the London SHIELD research facility.

"We can't just abandon the research!" Jane protested.

"Oh yeah let's stay here even though agent thirteen told us not to just so we can protect some research." Darcy rolled her eyes dramatically. "How many times do I have to tell you I am not dying in the name of science?"

"Who said anything about dying?" Jane asked.

"In the three years we have known Kate has she ever phoned one of us to tell us we need to get out of SHIELD? No. You can stay if you want but I trust her." Darcy said.

Unsurprisingly Jane continued to follow her.

Darcy felt a twinge of guilt. Jane was insane but Darcy knew how much that research meant to her.

"It's not like we'll be gone forever, just until this mess gets cleared up." Darcy said in an attempt to be comforting.

"All SHIELD employees please report to Staff Area A." The intercom blared above her.

Jane sent Darcy a worried look.

"Well," Darcy tried. "Technically we aren't SHIELD employees."

"We need to get out of here quickly." Jane said.

Darcy nodded, hand going to her bag to pull her taser out. It never hurt to be prepared, right?

They reached the bottom of the stairs, the door that led out of the facility to their right.

Darcy's stomach clenched. The door seemed ominous and she instinctively clutched the taser harder.

Around them people were wandering out of labs in confusion, the kind of scientists who lived at work and rarely ventured out.

Or as Darcy liked to call them: the kind of lame scientists who didn't have an awesome, hot, fun intern. Jane was so lucky.

Darcy turned the handle to outside.

"What are you doing?" A man in SHIELD uniform asked outside. He held a long gun diagonally across his body, not aimed at them but held as though that could change in an instant.

Darcy flicked her taser at him and pressed the button before she was even aware of what she was doing.

"Darcy!" Jane yelled, eyes wide in horror.

She'd stunned a SHIELD officer. She was in soooo much trouble.

"Forget that!" Darcy yelled. "Run!"

They sprinted away from the building, adrenaline rushing in their veins. The fact SHIELD had been surrounded had made them both terrified that they would be pursued. Neither Jane nor Darcy were especially fit so they both desperately hoped no one was following them.

People on the street stared at them oddly but they were too busy running to care. Someone wolf-whistled them and Darcy didn't even stick her middle finger up at them.

 _See Jane, I can prioritise_ , she thought.

They'd run for about ten minutes before Darcy physically couldn't anymore. She collapsed against the side of a building gasping for air. Each breath burned in her lungs and she had so many stitches she didn't know which one hurt morest.

She almost had war time flashbacks of the bleep test in high school.

Jane who was equally out of breath stopped next to her, hands on her knees and gasping.

Once Darcy had some more oxygen in her system, she lifted her head to look around. The area of London they were in wasn't familiar but at least they weren't obviously being followed.

It was the kind of area where every butcher was halal and every other shop was a polish delicatessen.

Darcy seriously loved London. You could go from the SHIELD research centre surrounded by glass and chrome sky scrapers to somewhere like this just by walking (or in their case running). The majority of the shops were closed with corrugated metal shutters over the front, covered in graffiti, that weren't even bothering with 'For Sale' signs anymore.

"Jane." Darcy said, mouth gaping as she stared at a small cafe opposite.

"What?" Jane asked, head snapping up at Darcy's tone.

"Look at that TV." She said.

The cafe had a small TV in the corner of it showing BBC news. Which was currently showing live footage of Captain America battling helicarriers.

"Is that Steve?" Jane asked in shock.

Darcy slumped against the wall. "Holy shit."

* * *

"What do you mean SHIELD are closing down?" Jane demanded on the phone a few days later.

Darcy looked up from her game of candy crush. It had been a few days since their mad run from SHIELD. They were staying with Jane's mom in England. They knew it wasn't a very secret place but it was better than their SHIELD given house.

"What the hell does that even mean? 'Disbanded due to internal corruption?' What do you mean that's classified? Classified by whom because SHIELD doesn't exist anymore apparently." Jane fumed.

Jane began pacing. It was a good thing her mom was out because Darcy could tell Jane was on the edge of swearing.

Darcy texted Kate.

 _'Can you explain this whole SHIELD disbanded thing? How is that at all a good idea?'_  Darcy sent.

"So where are we supposed to work?...Yes but if another company are buying the research facility they are hardly going to let me keep doing my research there without being signed on."  _And they wouldn't let her intern stay either_ , Darcy thought. "No it is not my problem, it is yours. You can't just put people out of jobs!...Hello? Hello!"

Jane slammed her phone down on the table.

"Dude, careful. That's an iPhone. It'll break." Darcy said, barely looking up.

"I don't care." Jane snapped. "Shield is disbanded, we need to find somewhere to do research."

"What about with STARK?" Darcy asked. "You could probably just name drop Thor and he'd let us work there."

"Every single SHIELD employee will be going straight to STARK Industries. I'm not making Stark even more powerful than he already is." Jane said. "And besides, we need to stay in England."

Darcy sighed. "Don't tell me we're reverting to doing science out of your bedroom."

"I don't see what other choice we have." Jane said angrily. "Why on Earth are they disbanding SHIELD? That's the worst idea ever."

"Steve came to an agreement with Fury that once they sorted Hydra out they'd shut down SHIELD. He disagreed with the invasion of privacy SHIELD worked with." Darcy read.

"How do you know that?" Jane demanded.

Darcy waved her phone at her. "Kate texted."

She wasn't even particularly close with Kate but she'd been texting her for answers a lot recently.

They'd found out Hydra were the corrupt party yesterday. Darcy had been confused. She thought that was some world war two thing that was definitely over by now.

"In which case they change their policies a bit, they don't get rid of the entire agency!" Jane said. "Do you know how much more crime there's going to be?"

"They'll probably replace it with a similar yet 'completely different' government agency. Called SWORD or something." Darcy said.

Jane shook her head. "I don't think they will, Darcy. They're selling off all the companies and everything. And besides, SHIELD was above the government, it wasn't confined to one country. This...this is big."

Oh well, Darcy thought. In her opinion it was stupid to get rid of SHIELD but it wasn't like it affected her that much. She didn't work for them just with them. Not that she got paid...

"I can't believe the others let him do this. Do you know how much stuff they're saying about people like Clint and Natasha? I don't know what's real and what isn't. I mean that stuff about Budapest? No way  _that_  happened. All of it's public now. I mean, if we didn't have confirmation it was Steve I would have said it was The Rising Tide or something." Jane continued.

"What's Banner doing?" Darcy asked. "He was a scientist at a SHIELD facility as well, right?"

They'd had to work with him a few times, them needing his help on radiation and he needing Jane's knowledge of astrophysics, even though that was only one of her three degrees.

"I spoke to him yesterday, he's going to lay low for a while. I think he was kind of relieved to get away from SHIELD for a bit." Jane replied.

Darcy's phone started to vibrate in her hands. She frowned as she saw it was another blocked number.

"Hello?" She asked.

"We must speak to Dr Foster." A cold voice said.

Darcy narrowed her eyes at the phone. "Can I ask who is calling?"

"We shall explain that to Dr Foster."

"Then phone her." Darcy replied.

"Put her on the phone. Now." The voice demanded.

Darcy was tempted to just press the end call button but her curiosity over why they were phoning Jane- particularly in such a demanding way- was too great.

Frowning in confusion at Jane, she passed over her phone.

"Hello? Dr Foster speaking." Jane said.

Darcy couldn't hear what was being said but Jane visibly paled.

"I'm not interested." She said in a voice that was evidently trying to be calm.

The voice obviously continued speaking. Jane listened for a moment. "I appreciate the offer but I'm fine."

Then she hung up the phone and returned it with a shaky hand.

"So who was that?" Darcy asked, attempting to sound casual.

Jane opened her mouth to open but the sound of the doorbell ringing sounded through the room.

Jane looked startled, turning to face Darcy who had immediately turned to grab her taser which she never kept very far from her these days. Right now it was slipped down the side of her boot.

Jane smiled slightly in amusement. "If it were Hydra I don't think they'd ring the doorbell."

Darcy ignored her and moved to the side of the door as Jane opened it.

"Jane!" Thor greeted as he entered, moving to hug her.

"Thor." Jane said back, melting against him.

Darcy put her taser back in her boot and made gagging motions as they kissed.

"Oh stop." Jane said to her as she pulled away, smiling and looking slightly bashful. She turned back to Thor. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you in a few days."

"I was dealing with a quarrel on Alfheim. When I returned Heimdall informed me of what had happened and I harkened to the Allfather immediately." Thor said.

"Odin?" Jane asked. "What's he got to do with this?"

"Tell me Jane," Thor said. "Has anyone contacted you?"

Jane paled once more and Darcy recalled the weird phone call she'd received before Thor had arrived.

Thor nodded solemnly. "I thought as much. What did they say?"

"They offered me a job." Jane said. "Scientific research."

"Wait," Darcy said. "Why is that bad?"

"It was not research that was necessarily legal." Jane said evasively.

"Oh." Darcy replied.

Jane wrung her hands together nervously. "I mean I told them I wasn't interested. It'll be fine."

Darcy wasn't convinced, it sounded more like Jane was trying to calm herself down. She didn't quite believe it was 'offering' as 'demanding' given their demanding tone.

"Why'd you go to Odin?" Darcy asked.

"I have heard SHIELD has dispersed." Thor said and they nodded. "With no one to protect you I feared others would contact you, either for your own scientific skills or as leverage against me."

"So Odin?" Jane asked.

Thor grinned so broadly Darcy had to resist the urge to smile herself. He was like a giant puppy.

"It is all arranged. To protect you both, the Allfather has consented to allow you to reside in Asgard."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title and lyrics from The Swarm by You Me At Six. Yeah I apologise for the pretentious start and song lyrics but it is Ragnarok so it needs to be big and pretentious. I guess this isn't so much the first chapter as it is a prologue but yeah.
> 
> Please comment.


	2. She Might Just Runaway

Darcy lifted her phone up while she waited for her mom to answer.

"Darcy!" Her mom practically sang as she answered. Her mom insisted on video calls, so Darcy could see that she'd recently dyed her hair to a lighter blonde.

"Hey mom," Darcy replied. "I like your hair."

"Thanks honey," Her mom said, twirling a strand around her finger. Darcy could see the tip of her mom's t-shirt, and saw that it was one she wore for morning yoga.

It would be eight in the morning in California, so she must have just finished. Her work didn't start until ten.

"So, how's London?" Her mom asked.

"Wet." Darcy replied. "I miss America."

"Only because you've only ever lived in California or New Mexico, if you lived in Washington you'd be saying it's shockingly dry over there." Her mom joked, smiling.

She was smiling a lot, she'd probably had work done to her teeth, but Darcy couldn't really see in the phone's small screen.

"Any guys?" Her mom asked.

Darcy shrugged. "Just one. I went out with this guy Ian for like a week."

"Darcy Veronica Lewis-"

"Mom," Darcy whinged. "Don't middle name me."

Her mom giggled. "But Veronica is so funny."

"Then you shouldn't have let dad give me it!" Darcy replied, sobering her mom slightly. Her dad had died a few years ago. Her mom wasn't quite over it yet.

Her mom swallowed slightly. "Yes well, as I was saying, do you know how many people would pay- have paid- for breasts like yours and the good Lord graced you with them for free! At least use them! You're in England, get someone hot!"

Darcy rolled her eyes. Her mom was ridiculous. She was kind of the stereotypical Californian woman, with her blonde hair and plastic surgery, the fundraisers she went to, her bitchy group of friends and the lack of filters in her mind. However, she was also Dr Caroline Lewis, one of the world's leading experts in microbiology.

It was very difficult to distinguish them in her mind, especially when she spoke like this.

"Yeah well, I guess I'll try harder in the next place, that's what I was phoning to tell you." Darcy said.

"You're moving somewhere else?" She asked.

"Yeah, Norway." Darcy said. "It's just that we're working in quite a remote part and I don't know how easy it'll be to phone and stuff."

"Do you want me to transfer you more money?" She asked. Her mom had been very keen for her to go into science, and Darcy suspected she'd played a large role in making it so that she was the only applicant for the internship with Jane. As such, she had beaten Darcy down whenever she'd suggested leaving to get an actual job by saying she'd pay her a salary (about four times what the average university graduate could expect) if she stayed.

"No I'm fine." Darcy said, it wasn't like they'd need money in Asgard.

"Okay well, have fun. Phone me when you get there if you can." Her mom said. Darcy said her goodbyes and hung up.

She sighed as she looked at her torn apart bedroom.

She'd had to pack in a hurry, which meant she had to find everything. Darcy wasn't exactly organised.

She grabbed her suitcase and ran out of her room, feeling sorry for Jane's mom having to tidy it. Still, it wasn't like she had time to clean it herself, she'd barely had time to phone her mom.

"Have you phoned your mother?" Jane's mom asked in concern.

"Yep, thanks for letting us stay Mrs. Foster." Darcy said.

"Any time dear." Jane's mom responded, before turning to her daughter who was standing next to Thor. Jane's mom still hadn't quite been able to accept that her daughter was dating the God of Thunder, but she was nice to him nonetheless. "Have fun and be safe."

Jane hugged her mom, and before Darcy knew what was happening she was being whisked out of the door, her bulging suitcase ramming into the backs of her ankles.

"Ready?" Thor asked as they stood in the garden.

 _No_ , Darcy thought.

But Thor had barely grasped her hand, before she felt herself being dragged upwards. It was like a rollercoaster rocketing upwards, but a hundred times faster, the skin on her face being dragged back and she could only imagine the state her hair would be in.

And then they landed. Darcy staggered forwards.

"Holy shit," She said, staring at the room. It was made entirely of gold, yet none of it was blinding. The gold was carved with intricate runes and looking out Darcy saw the kind of colourful space you saw in pictures, but couldn't really believe existed when you looked up at the dark night sky. "That was awesome, can we go again?" She asked Thor, grinning.

Thor chuckled. Darcy didn't think she'd ever heard anyone chuckle before but there really wasn't another way to describe Thor's laugh.

"Perhaps another day." Thor said.

"Welcome to Asgard." Someone else said, their voice low and deep.

Darcy turned to see a man entirely dressed in gold armour, the same colour as the walls. His eyes were also gold and glittered with knowledge beyond anything she had ever seen before, like he had seen the world and known everything in it.

"Darcy, this is Heimdall," Thor said, Jane obviously having encountered him before.

"'Sup." She greeted.

His head tilted slightly as though perplexed, and Darcy bit her lip to stop from laughing. She couldn't help but think of the amount of people who would have been better suited to visiting Asgard; those with decorum and manners...aka boring people. Darcy would definitely enjoy it a lot more.

"The Allfather awaits you." Heimdall informed Thor.

Thor nodded his thanks, and they left.

Darcy gasped. It was one thing to see the Bifröst but this was something else. It was like rainbow road from Mario Kart or something.

She was standing on pure light, the colours swirling beneath her feet. The rainbow stretched, suspended in pure darkness until it reached a city straight out of a sci-fi film. Intricate buildings stretched miles to the sky, twisting and twirling in ways no human architect could achieve. She half expected to see hover cars.

Darcy suddenly felt very small, standing on the bridge with nothing but her suitcase.

"Thor!" A voice bellowed, and Darcy saw several figures on horses thundering down the bridge.

Darcy recognised them as Sif, Fandral and Volstagg and remembered them from when they visited Thor.

"We thought you may appreciate a quicker journey." Volstagg said as they stopped in front of us.

They'd brought a spare horse along with them, which Darcy supposed must have been Thor's.

"Thank you." He nodded, going to his horse and pulling Jane up behind him.

"Lady Darcy," Fandral nodded. "A pleasure to see you again. Would you care to ride with me?"

An excuse to unashamedly hug Fandral? Yes!

Darcy shrugged. "It's better than walking."

Fandral smiled, and gave her his hand to pull her up.

Darcy wrapped her arms around him. Volstagg had attached their luggage to his horse.

In unison, they began galloping down the bridge.

They were moving much faster than horses on Earth, so Darcy had to curl against Fandral, using him to shield her from the snapping wind.

Not that she was complaining. She could practically feel his muscles through his shirt.

Before Darcy knew it they were at the Asgardian palace. Fandral hopped down from the horse and helped her down.

"You know, if you wished simply to hug me you had only need ask." Fandral said with a grin.

"My wishes go far beyond hugging." Darcy smiled flirtatiously. What? Fandral was hot, okay?

His grin widened slightly. "I shall see you tonight."

"Okay, that was so not an invitation." Darcy said, slightly startled. One flirtatious joke, and he was taking it as an opportunity to get in her bed? Were all Asgardians like that?

Fandral laughed. "I meant at the banquet tonight, though I would not protest too much at the alternative either."

"Banquet? Is that before or after the jousting competition?" Darcy asked.

"Okay, Darcy," Jane said, grabbing her arm. "We need to go see Odin."

Darcy glared at Jane as she dragged her away from Fandral. Could she not see that Darcy was very much enjoying Asgard so far?

"Dude!" Darcy protested.

"The last thing we need upon arrival in Asgard, is you winding up in bed with Fandral." Jane said.

"The last thing  _we_  need maybe, but the first thing  _I_  need." Darcy replied.

" _Darcy._ " Jane warned. "He is  _the_  player of Asgard."

"Then he'll know what he's doing then, won't he? I'm not looking to date the guy. I just want hot sex with an Asgardian Robin Hood." Darcy replied.

Jane opened her mouth to protest again when Thor cut in. "My father awaits, perhaps this is a conversation best suited for afterwards?"

Darcy stuck her tongue out at Jane who rolled her eyes in response. Sometimes they were respectable co-workers...more often than not they were irritated siblings.

"You're sure he is fine with us being here?" Jane asked. Darcy could understand her anxiety, after all Odin had called her a goat. She went on about it almost as much as Tony Stark mentioned being defenestrated by Loki.

"He readily accepted it, Jane." Thor said gently. "His attitude has changed somewhat since my mother's...sacrifice."

Darcy looked away kind of awkwardly, she would usually make a joke that would probably be inappropriate and somewhat offensive at this point but she felt like she couldn't really do that to Thor. It would be like kicking a puppy.

"Shall we go in then?" Darcy asked as Jane reassuringly squeezed Thor's hand.

Thor nodded and led them to two large doors that reminded Darcy of the entrance to Hogwarts.

Two guards stood in front of it, and promptly opened the doors.

Darcy could tell immediately that she was not seeing the throne room in its height of grandeur. Many of the columns had collapsed, and the marble was cracked in many places. Even so it was one of the most regal places she had ever seen, every single aspect was decorated with intricate detail so the whole thing looked impressive and intimidating. At the other end in a large throne sat Odin.

Darcy tried not to think about what she knew of Odin. She had to admit she wasn't a fan. He'd kicked Thor out of his home and stripped him of his powers and everything, clearly not caring what happened to him. He was hit by a car the moment he arrived, for crying out loud, and yet he'd raised Thor so if he was somewhat arrogant and self-entitled-surely that was partly Odin's fault?

And she was still a bit hazy on what had happened with Loki. He obviously had to take responsibility for his own actions but was it a coincidence that Thor and Loki had both at one point in their lives been genocide-loving maniacs?

And then of course he'd been rude to Jane, and it was no secret that he disapproved of Thor's relationship with her.

But then, he was offering them refuge, so it would probably help if she didn't hate him too much.

There were guards on either side of Odin, and one was very good looking- God she was going to be so horny on Asgard- so that helped distract her a bit.

The other guard was staring straight ahead, but the hot one was looking at them somewhat curiously. Clearly they rarely had mortals here.

"Thor." Odin greeted before turning to Jane. "Miss Foster..." Dude, Darcy thought, Jane did not get those degrees for nothing. "I would like to apologise for your treatment when you were last here. As recompense, I offer you a place here at Asgard for as long as it is needed."

Jane simply nodded, which Darcy was impressed by.

Odin turned to her. "And you are Miss Foster's servant?"

"Intern." Darcy corrected, unable to stop her eyes from narrowing.

"Darcy was very hospitable during my stay on Midgard, father." Thor said. "She also aided greatly in the battle against the Dark Elves." Not really, she'd planted some of Jane's stick things, and attempted to not get herself killed. She'd also made out a bit...She cringed slightly as she remembered Ian. He'd wanted things that were far too serious, and had become far too clingy. Guess that's what she got for impulsive snogging (as he called it) though it wasn't like she'd hired him as an intern in the first place because she needed the help. "You agreed also to allow her the same treatment as Jane."

Odin nodded. "And your purpose?" He asked.

"Umm, to make Jane look better by comparison?" Darcy suggested, unsure of what he wanted.

She saw the hot guard smirk, and kind of wanted to punch him. She'd like to see how he did in front of a king of a world he'd never visited. Embarrassment aside however, his smirk did not seem cruel but rather amused.

"To aid Jane in her research of our world." Thor said, jumping to her rescue again.

"Very well. In addition to your stay, you may have access to anything you require. To officially welcome you, I invite you to a formal banquet this evening. Thor will, I am sure, show you the palace." He said which they all took as a dismissal.

The moment they were out the door, Darcy let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. "Well, that was quick." She said.

"And a good thing too." Jane said, leaning against the wall. "That was so awkward."

"Awkward for you, embarrassing for me." Darcy said.

"How can you be embarrassed by that and not by half the things that you say?" Jane asked.

"Rude." Darcy replied.

"Why don't you follow me?" Thor interrupted.

Jane was obviously staying in the same room, as Thor so Thor led Darcy to her room first.

Basically, it was huge. As in bigger than Jane's mom's flat huge. The bed was bigger than king size and it had every single aspect of furniture ever invented in there: a table and chairs, armoire, chest of drawers, a trunk, a vanity desk, cabinets, cupboards...all of it elaborately carved in shades in dark wood. The fabrics were all cream.

Darcy was scared to touch anything.

When she checked out the bathroom, it reminded her more of fountains in ancient Greece than a bathroom. She hadn't seen that much marble in her life.

Her suitcase looked rather tatty in the middle of such a luxurious room.

"Is there anything else you need?" Thor asked.

Darcy saw that his hand kept inching towards Jane and she knew that he was clearly looking forwards to showing Jane his room...and given that she'd already seen it she could only imagine what they'd be doing instead.

Ewww, she needed company, third wheeling was really not fun.

"I'm good." She said.

"The feast will be held in an hour." He told her.

Shit, so soon? She hadn't realised just what the time was, it had been a very long day that felt like several.

"See you then." She said. Thor and Jane left, and she looked round the room. Jane and Thor may have been trying out Thor's bed, but she would have to spend the time getting ready if she hoped for similar activities tonight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Runaways by The Killers. Thank you all for the lovely comments, wasn't expecting so many just from the first chapter. I promise I shall get to Loki soon.
> 
> Please comment.


	3. No Montagues Or Capulets

Darcy hadn't quite realised what a problem she would have until she opened her suitcase.

The problem was this: knitwear.

Darcy had a lot. Sweaters, scarves, gloves...you name it, if it was made from yarn Darcy probably owned it.

Much to her mother's dismay, Darcy enjoyed covering up her figure with comfortable clothes, and she'd been living in England where even in summer, the temperature rarely warranted anything less than a cardigan.

And it had been spring, and whatever season it was here- even if they had seasons- it was pleasantly warm. And besides, her wardrobe was hardly appropriate for a...what was it Odin had called it? A 'formal banquet'?

She didn't quite know what was appropriate for an Asgardian Formal Banquet, but she doubted her knitwear made the cut.

She tore her clothes out of her suitcase, not bothering that she was throwing them on the floor because she'd thrown them into the suitcase in the first place.

Someone knocked at the door as Darcy pulled out a purple skater dress. It was the most formal thing she had brought with her and it barely passed into the I-am-going-out-in-public-so-should-look-presentable category. And screw fitting into the dress code, her clothes weren't going to help get certain good looking Asgardians in her pants either.

"Yeah?" She called, wondering who it was.

"My lady," A woman said, Darcy turned to see a young girl in a simple dress standing at the door. "I have been assigned your handmaiden."

"My what-now?" Darcy asked.

"Handmaiden." The woman blushed.

Darcy felt kind of guilty, it may be odd for her but it wasn't this girl's responsibility to explain Asgard's customs to her.

"My lady-"

"Darcy." Darcy interrupted. Asgardian customs or not, that was a bit far. "Please call me Darcy."

"Oh, very well," The woman blushed again, ducking her head. Her blond hair was tied up, though Darcy got the impression she would rather be hiding behind it. "There are clothes in the wardrobe."

"Clothes?" Darcy asked. "For me?"

"Yes, they were made especially, my- Darcy." The woman said.

"But like my measurements?" Darcy asked, she didn't exactly have your average tall and athletic Asgardian build.

"All arranged." The woman seemed to gain confidence and walked to the wardrobe. "These would be deemed appropriate for tonight." She pulled three gowns out from the end.

Darcy gaped. She hadn't expected this.

Given that two of them were incredibly puffy, she reached for the third. It was dark green, not a colour she usually went for because normally, if green was available blue was too, and that matched her eyes a lot better.

It was simple at the front, a round neckline and fitted to her body, the kind that would gently fall straight to the floor. The back however was a mesh of green beads, making the dress just sexy enough that she would feel confident flirting, but not too revealing that she ended up praying for a sweater.

Darcy turned to the woman, but she looked at her expectantly so Darcy just shrugged and pulled her clothes off. The woman who blushed at being asked to call her Darcy, didn't so much as blink, so Darcy assumed this was normal. Her entire experience of handmaidens was based on Game of Thrones.

Which meant her handmaiden was probably having a secret affair with Thor whilst plotting to become queen of Asgard...

Darcy pulled herself from that train of thought.

Her handmaiden- Erika, Darcy discovered her name was- insisted on doing her hair and make-up. She was shy, and while at first scandalised by Darcy's dirty sense of humour, soon relaxed slightly and joined in. Darcy assumed then that such innuendo making was not considered socially acceptable an Asgard.

This could be amusing then.

Darcy frowned at herself in the mirror. She looked really nice, but she wished she could cut the dress at the knees. Being short and curvy, maxi dresses had never really suited her.

And apparently heels did not exist in Asgard, because they were sensible and had not conditioned their men to believe forms of foot torture made legs look attractive.  
When she was done, Erika showed her to the room where the banquet was being held. Darcy internally cringed every time it was called that because it just sounded so ridiculous.

"Aren't you coming?" Darcy asked as Erika stopped.

Erika blushed again slightly, and shook her head. "It would not be appropriate for someone of my class."

"Oh." Darcy said sadly. Point one for Asgard for condemning heels, but apparently it was rather elitest.

The one friend she'd made was too working class to come. And now Darcy was annoyed.

"So should I wait for you to prepare you for bed, or will you be engaged with...certain warriors." Erika smirked.

Darcy laughed. "Hopefully, but if not I can get myself ready for bed anyway, thanks."

Erika left, and Darcy entered the room.

It was huge, with rows of tables where rowdy people were sat.

"Darcy!" Volstagg called, gesturing for her to join where he was sat with Sif and Fandral. Thor and Jane weren't there yet.

She walked over and Fandral stood up when he reached them. "You look lovely." He said, taking her hand and placing it to his lips.

Darcy bit her lip. Fandral may have just gone from hot to ridiculous. That was kind of a shame. Oh well, she'd probably bang him anyway...you know just to check.

And she hadn't had sex since Ian, who had been vastly inexperienced, so it would be nice to do it with someone who knew what to do...and what not to do.

Darcy slid in next to him.

"I see the two lovebirds are still in their nest." Fandral said.

"In the nest?" Darcy asked. "I think at the rate they're going they're probably rolling on the floor by now."

Fandral and Volstagg laughed, while Sif looked slightly disapproving though she did smile slightly. A nearby person looked rather scandalised. Darcy didn't know whether to be irritated or amused by the fact Asgardians found women making sex jokes inappropriate. Then again it may not be appropriate banquet conversation for anyone but Fandral had started it.

"I have never seen Thor this enraptured by a woman before." Fandral said. "It is rather disconcerting."

"Oh, let him have his fun." Volstagg said, waving away Fandral's comment and reaching for a turkey leg. At least Darcy assumed it was turkey.

Darcy reached for food too, suddenly ravenously hungry. It was so good she soon found herself shoving every morsel into her mouth.

"Perhaps you are just jealous." Sif suggested.

"Me? Jealous?" Fandral scoffed. "I could have any-"

Darcy raised her eyebrows at him and he stopped. Volstagg and Sif laughed and after a moment Fandral and Darcy joined in too.

Around ten minutes later, Thor and Jane appeared- both looking a tad too dishevelled to have spent the whole time that they had been without Darcy getting ready.

Even so, Jane still managed to look like an Asgardian princess in her blue dress.

After a few more plates and quite a few more drinks of ale, Darcy found herself in a debate with Fandral.

"Because it's wrong!" She protested. "People shouldn't have their entire life decided by where they are born."

"But without people ruling and people in serving positions, nothing would get done." He argued back.

"Yeah, but the level here is ridiculous. Why can't you get yourselves dressed? And anyone should have the ability to rule or serve depending on things like attitude and intelligence and hard work, not who they are born to." Darcy said.

"But that wouldn't actually work!" Fandral said.

Darcy sighed and gave up. Of all the people to argue this with, Fandral was probably not the best place to start.

"Let's dance." She suggested instead, dragging him to the dance area.

The orchestra wasn't exactly playing the latest Now That's What I Call Music CD, but being slightly tipsy as she was, and let's be honest- being Darcy as she was, that didn't matter. She wanted to dance so she would.

Fandral slipped a hand round her waist and put a hand into hers, and started whisking her around. After two seconds, she almost fell over.

"Whoa! Dude!" She stopped him. "I am not quite at your waltzing level yet."

"This is a simple dance." He frowned.

"Yeah, for the people who have spent the last millennia practicing." Darcy pointed out. "Some of us are limited to the cha cha slide and slut drops."

"What?" He asked, confused and clearly slightly irritated, though he was trying not to show it.

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Never mind." She said dully, before walking to a different part of the hall. She found an empty bench and sat down, wondering whether or not she should have another drink.

"Your dancing leaves a lot to be desired." A voice said dryly.

"Yeah well, just you wait until they start playing the Macarena, I'll be killing it out there." She replied before looking up. "Oh it's you." She said as she recognised the hot guard.

"Me?" He asked as though wondering how he could be significant enough to be remembered.

"You were on guard for Odin earlier." Darcy said, a slight smile crossing her face. "And you were a dick."

One of his eyebrows rose. From this close Darcy could see that he had captivating, clear green eyes that she had to force herself to look away from. "How so?" He asked.

"You were amused by what I said to Odin." Darcy said. "And you weren't very good at hiding it."

"I am unused to people talking to the Allfather like that...it was entertaining at the very least." He said. "He is used to people treating him with revered respect, I feel he was unsure how to handle you."

"Yeah well he wouldn't be the first one." Darcy said. "Is that why you came over here? To taunt me about how I unsettled Odin?"

"I believe you brought the topic up. If I were to say anything about that it would be to offer my congratulations." The guard pointed out. "But no, I wished to speak to you."

Darcy narrowed her eyes at him. "Why?"

He smiled slightly. "As I said, Odin seemed unsure how to handle you. Anyone that unnerving is clearly worth talking to."

"Uh thanks?" Darcy asked, unsure as to whether that was an insult or not.

"And you are mortal." The guard pointed out. "And I admit I have always been intrigued about Midgard."

"Really?" She asked. "I was under the impression most Asgardians thought they were above us."

He smiled in a way that gave Darcy the impression she was missing part of a joke only he understood. "Now what sort of person would think such a thing?"

"Odin for one." Darcy said.

The guard looked at her appraisingly. "Do you know how often I hear someone voice a criticism of Odin?"

"Um never? Because he'd yell 'off with their heads!'?" Darcy suggested.

The guard laughed. "No, because most people are blinded by expectations of royalty. They see what they expect to. Yet you are here less than a day, and see more truth to Odin than the majority of the population of Asgard combined."

Darcy felt colour rising up her cheeks for some reason. It wasn't like she hadn't been complimented before, but normally they were based on looks or her humour...but on seeing truth? That seemed more intelligence based and that was a first.

"Well, most of Asgard is blinded by everything," Darcy muttered bitterly. "Everyone seems content with how things are, and it's so elitist and wrong. Sorry...you probably don't want to hear, it's just I was a political science student, so I guess I just can't help but see the more problematic aspects of societies and governments."

"Despite what many Asgardians would have you believe, Asgard is far from perfect." The guard said bitterly. "Anytime anyone attempts to change something, it is promptly crushed."

"I guess that's the problem with being immortal, anti-change or whatever." Darcy said.

The guard nodded before pausing a moment. "May I ask why you left Midgard?"

Darcy frowned. "You heard earlier, we're researching-"

"No, I am aware of that." The guard interrupted. "I rather meant why you left Midgard, as opposed to what you are here in Asgard for." Darcy looked confused so he carried on. "Forgive me, given my position I hear a lot that I should not. I understand there were some problems on Midgard, and I was curious as to what those were."

He was looking at her intently and Darcy really did believe he was genuinely interested.

"There was this terrorist group that infiltrated a branch of our government called SHIELD." Darcy saw a quick flash of recognition cross his face, and supposed he must have been really interested in Earth to know what SHIELD was. "It was stopped, but it had kind of poisoned the heart of SHIELD so it was disbanded. My friend Jane and I do scientific research and we were protected by SHIELD, with them gone we were in danger so we came here."

"SHIELD is gone?" He clarified.

Darcy nodded. "How do you know about SHIELD?"

"I heard them speaking of it." He said distractedly.

"Are you okay?" Darcy asked.

He seemed to snap back to reality and smiled at her. "Yes. It was a pleasure talking to you, Miss Lewis. I hope to have an opportunity to speak to you again soon."

"Wait what's your name?" Darcy asked but he'd already stopped and left.

Darcy couldn't help but smile, it had only been a short conversation but it was nice to know someone else wasn't oblivious to the faults of Asgard.

"Lady Darcy," Fandral said, smiling as he returned to her. "I was looking for you."

"Oh sorry, I was talking to one of the guards." Darcy said.

To her surprise Fandral frowned. "One of the guards?"

"Yeah, why?" She asked, sensing something was wrong.

"The guards are not supposed to be here. They are meant simply to guard the doors." He said.

Once again, Darcy felt annoyance at the casual acceptance of everyone having their place. She knew Fandral meant no harm by it, having been raised in such a society, he probably saw nothing wrong with it. Like how Darcy didn't realise how wrong it was having such easy access to guns in America, until she went to Canada and didn't see a single gun the entire time, like not even the local gun-obsessed granny in the supermarket.

But equally, it wasn't like the guard had lived outside of Asgard either.

Darcy wished she was talking to him instead of Fandral.

Fandral's brown-green eyes made her miss the bright ones of the guard.

Darcy stopped herself. She wasn't going to be one of those people who meets two hot guys and then compares them non-stop.

It was fairly obvious which one to go for anyway. One was interested by her because of her culture and species. One was interested because they were attracted to her, and slightly baffled by her flirtatious innuendos. Sif had explained at dinner that Asgardian women essentially usually played hard to get. And it was nice that she didn't say it with disdain either. Sif had always struck Darcy as one of those girls who would have a superiority complex by virtue of her subversion of gender norms, but it turns out she was actually quite respectful of everyone's choices- just judgemental in their taste of Fandral.

No, it didn't take a genius to figure out which guy she should focus on- especially for one night- and yet her mind wandered to the guard anyway.

"Would you care for another drink?" He asked.

Darcy started to say no, but then decided there was nothing wrong with having a fun night out, so she quickly drained another ale.

They returned to the others, where she sat next to Fandral, but leaning against him, until eventually she ended up on his lap.

They played a game that involved a weird dice shaped like a cuboid with three to six on the long sides, and one on the short sides. Darcy didn't really understand the game.

But she did discover that Fandral was a reasonably skilled kisser.

By pure chance of course.

And everyone, even Jane and Thor, were so drunk by the time Darcy and Fandral started making out, that she was sure no one would remember anyway.

But it didn't get any further than just kissing, for which she was very sure Erika would be upset about – apparently most girls in Asgard had a crush on Fandral.

Darcy had enjoyed it, but she was kind of happy it didn't go much further. If Fandral was a player, then she didn't want to have her one night with him then never get anything again. No, she'd draw it out for as long as she could.

When she stumbled back to her room, all she could think of was that this morning she'd been on Midgard, no wait Earth, worrying about what they were going to do about the lack of a laboratory. Now she was in Asgard, and thinking that between the food and the hot guys like Fandral and the guard, this might be quite a nice place to live after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor (totally not mocking you, Darcy) by Arctic Monkeys. Sorry, I know these chapters are quite short but I don't want to be dragging moments out. Anyway thanks for all of your comments and kudos, they keep me writing. 
> 
> Please comment.


	4. Keep The Town Alive

Darcy woke late the next day to dim sunlight streaming through the gaps in the curtains, which she had hastily pulled last night.

Erika had left clothes out for her, as well as a pitcher of water and plate of food. Darcy quickly drank the water. She didn't tend to get hangovers but she still had the thirst alcohol provides.

After taking one look at the casual gown Erika had left out Darcy returned to her suitcase. She didn't care if she got odd looks on Asgard, it would take a few more days for her to feel comfortable wearing Asgardian clothes.

Once she had bathed, eaten and dressed she left the room. The palace was huge, but luckily had a simple enough layout once Darcy got past how...well,  _Norse_  everything was. Seriously, even the walls were carved with pictures and runes.

Speaking of which, now she would be with Thor for an indefinite period of time she could ask him about some of the myths. Everyone at SHIELD tended to focus more on Loki ones, understandably because they were pretty damn hilarious but Thor had his fair share of weird tales.

Darcy was unsure of where Jane would be. She knew that her friend really did want to study the natural laws and properties of Asgard but science was one of two loves, Thor being the other. Darcy didn't know which one would win out.

Darcy decided to explore the palace. She wanted to know where everything was, and more importantly she wanted to see everything. This wasn't just a palace, which would have been cool enough; it was a palace on another planet. And that meant rooms with purposes she'd never even heard of before.

But all of that was soon forgotten when she found the library. If it could be called that.

She felt her mouth gape like a cartoon character when she saw it. Row upon row of bookshelves, stretching to the ceiling high above. The shelves lined the walls with tables and chairs thrown randomly in the centre of the room. But the books...clearly Asgard had never heard of paperbacks. All of the books were large and thick, bound in dyed leather with ridges where the binding was secured.

Darcy didn't even know where to start.

After a second of just staring at the books she remembered the existence of Jane and Thor.

She was looking for them but...then she found pretty books. Heck she didn't even know if she'd be able to read them- were the letters the same? Were they even in English? But even if she couldn't she'd be perfectly happy to just stare at them.

And suddenly she was insanely jealous of Thor. He'd grown up here, with this...Darcy had to make do with piles of books when she'd run out of room on her bookshelf. And it was Thor...he'd probably never stepped foot in here.

Wait. It was Asgard. They weren't exactly into reading.

Right now the library was empty. Who exactly was it built for? Or was it an in-case-of-emergency type thing?

Thor, she reminded herself. But she promised herself she would come back. How could she not?

She practically lived in books, not classics though she'd tried a few, mainly fantasy or action. Anything with dragons preferably.

She felt a smile flit across her face. Maybe they had dragons in Asgard. She would have to enquire. And then she could become the Khaleesi she was born to be...

 _Darcy focus_ , she scolded herself.

Having no clue where to start, she asked one of the guards to point her in the direction of Thor's room. At least she could ascertain whether or not they were in there.

However when she arrived at the designated room the door was open and she could see some kind of servant changing the sheets.

Darcy frowned. Back to aimlessly wandering the palace then.

It took her maybe twenty minutes to find them. She accidentally wandered into the medical wing – yeah they had a whole wing, clearly lots of battle wounds. This of everything was perhaps the most Asgardian. The most different to Earth. And Darcy couldn't help but feel rather angry that they had all this advanced medical technology that Earth just didn't have access to. It wasn't like they couldn't have sent the knowledge down the Bifrost.

Anyway, Jane and Thor were in a room down there. Jane was crouched under a kind of table as though examining it while Thor stood watching, a smile of amused endearment spread lazily across his face.

"Okay, so I think I've got how it all works but I can't see what the power source is." Jane said.

Thor frowned. "Well, the soul forge is powered by the magic of the healers." He made it sound obvious.

"Ahhh, of course. Magic. Which I believe you said was science. So explain." Jane said.

Thor laughed. "It is indeed science, science far beyond my knowledge. Ask Loki-" Thor's smile immediately fell as he realised what he had said.

Darcy felt a twinge of sympathy for him. Regardless of whose actions were more idiotic over the years (umm Loki obviously) she felt like they'd both deserved a better relationship with each other.

And Jane had said Loki apologised as he was dying. Stupid Loki dying, and destroying the happiness of the Asgardian golden retriever.

"Uh hey," Darcy greeted to act as a distraction. Thankfully it worked.

"Darcy." Thor beamed. "How are you enjoying Asgard so far?"

"It's great, why did you not mention the amazing library?" Darcy demanded.

Thor smiled pointedly. "I believed you would be too busy with a certain member of the warriors three to venture in there."

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like you can talk. I'm surprised you can both walk after you tested the abilities of your bedsprings. Although I'm more surprised you are in here, rather than still pushing them to their limits."

Jane smiled excitedly like she hadn't been paying attention to what Darcy had just said. Which in fairness she probably hadn't.

"Thor offered to show me around, and oh my God Darcy, it's so amazing I just...I could happily spend the rest of my life studying all of this." Jane said. "Like, look at this. It's an actual quantum field generator. These things literally only exist theoretically on Earth."

"Theoretical like my knowledge of quantum physics. Let's just pretend I understand. Do you need me to help you science, or can I go build a blanket fort in the library?" Darcy asked.

Jane smiled. "Nope, go forth and library."

It is quite possible that only dogs were able to hear the excited squeal that Darcy replied with.

* * *

 

"What exactly are you doing?" Someone asked.

Darcy looked up from her book. "I'm reading."

"I can see that, though I was not aware Midgardians could read." The hot guard said, an infuriating smirk on his face that made her want to grab his sandy hair and...wow she didn't think anything could distract her from that book but then enter hot guy. "I was referring to your position."

Darcy sat up, shuffling out from under the table. She was still looking up at him but heck it was a position she could happily get used to.

"Have you tried reading in these chairs?" She asked.

He smiled in that way of his that suggested he knew something she didn't, like he was reminded of some inside joke. "A few times." He said.

"Right well if my ass is going to hurt I'd rather it be from more enjoyable activities." She said.

He raised an eyebrow in judging amusement.

"And besides, does a comfortable reading position even exist?" She pondered.

"I tend to get too distracted from the books." He said. "Though if I may ask, if you are going to lie on the floor, why not move away from the table?"

Darcy shrugged. "It was effort, I was already sat there. And dude, it's amazing, there is no gum under there! I don't think there are any tables in public on Earth without gum."

He shook his head slightly as though amused. "You are easily impressed."

"I've been called worse." She said. "It's okay, I'm hot enough to get away with it."

"Hot?" He asked.

She stood up, her legs cramping. She didn't know how long she'd been down there but it had to be at least a couple of hours.

"Yeah, you know hot. Sexy. Attractive." She poked him playfully in the chest. "Makes you acutely aware of how warm a room is."

Okay so she was unashamedly flirting...her eyes fell to his jaw line. Bone structure was her weakness and damn...if only he had cheekbones to match.

"Ah," He smiled, looking at her in a way that made her want to strip on the spot before promptly tearing off his own clothes. "Well, you certainly garner that description. Especially in that gown you wore last night."

"The green one?"

The guard stepped closer. "I have always been somewhat fond of the colour."

Darcy trailed a light finger up his torso. "And what else are you fond of?"

"Darcy!" Fandral called, walking into the room smiling jovially. Darcy jumped away, feeling guilty, but also angry because she shouldn't have to feel guilty. "We have been looking for you, and Thor informed us you were in the library. I don't think anyone has been in here since Loki became impressively mad."

The guard turned to him, eyebrows raised challengingly.

Fandral seemed to notice him for the first time, and frowned. "You are not authorised to be in here."

The guard didn't seem to care. "I was talking to Miss Lewis."

"Really?" She turned to him. "You aren't supposed to be in here? Apparently you have a habit of turning up in places you aren't supposed to be."

"Oh," Fandral said in realisation. "This is the guard from last night." Fandral turned to him smiling. "You want to be careful, it would be awfully embarrassing to be dismissed for being in a library."

"I'll bear that in mind." The guard said, something Darcy couldn't identify in his voice. "Excuse me." He said before leaving.  
Fandral turned to her. "We wished to invite you to the taverns tonight. You saw the formal side of Asgard last night. Perhaps you will enjoy to see the fun side tonight."

"Yeah, sounds great." Darcy smiled though she was kind of annoyed his appearance meant the guard had left. "Who's going?"

"Volstagg, Sif and I. I asked Thor, but it seems I have been replaced as the best looking one in his life." He joked.

"Yeah well, come on, it was already ruined the moment he met me."

Fandral laughed at her joke, but Darcy certainly enjoyed the reaction of the guard a lot more. Fuck, and she still didn't know his name. She couldn't keep calling him the hot guard. If that smirk was anything to go by he was already arrogant enough.

Fandral looked at her. "You will have to wear something more traditionally Asgardian, however."

Darcy nodded, hoping whatever it was wasn't too puffy.

* * *

 

"I do not understand the purpose of this game." Sif said.

Darcy sighed. "It gets you drunk!"

"You may also get drunk, through simply drinking the ale." Volstagg pointed out.

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Just trust me, this game is hilarious because it gets harder the drunker you get. I'll start okay? Hmm Thor."

"Prince." Fandral said.

"Well what else can I say now?" Sif asked. "There are no other princes."

Darcy resisted the urge to bang her head on the table. "Okay first of all, you don't say anything because Prince begins with a P. Remember? No words beginning with S or P. And secondly you have to say something. You could say crown or royalty or something. Right, Fandral drink."

Fandral looked at her incredulously. "I lost the game, so it is me who drinks? That is the punishment for losing?" A grin spread across his face. "You know I think I might be rather fond of these Midgardian customs after all."

Darcy didn't know whether to laugh or leave the tavern as Fandal chugged his ale. Maybe teaching drinking games, and word association in particular, to a group of Asgardians wasn't the brightest idea she had ever had.

* * *

 

Another night. Another tavern.

Darcy really liked Asgard. It was like college all over again.

"Oh my god." She said, jumping back as the man rammed into the other to the cheers of the surrounding crowd.

"It is only a game." Volstagg said gently.

"Dude this is like one on one mosh pitting."

"It is called knattleikr." Sif said. "It is a way for men to lose more brain cells than they already have."

"You are only saying that because of that Apling festival." Fandral said.

"I am not." Sif said indignantly.

"Yes you are." Fandral assured her.

"Why could it not be you and not Thor who met a mortal girl? At least his company I enjoy." Sif said.

"Yes we all know how much you enjoy his company." Fandral said.

"And besides," Volstagg added. "You have met Fandral. What woman would have him for more than one night?"

Fandral feigned sadness, hand over his heart and a comical frown on his face. "It is the curse of those of us gifted in bedroom antics."

"Bedroom antics?" Darcy giggled. "Oh my god, that makes it sound like a pillow fight."

"From what I've heard that's exactly what it is." Sif smirked.

"I will have you know-" Fandral was cut off by one of the wrestling men ramming into him.

* * *

 

"You will be fine Darcy," Sif said. "You managed perfectly well with Fandral."

"Yes because Fandral was the one steering the horse. I was just sat behind him." Darcy said.

"I will teach you." Sif assured her, taking her hand to help lift her up onto the horse.

Darcy wrapped her legs round the saddle. She didn't remember it being quite so high.

Sif was moving off to her own horse, Fandral and Volstagg already mounted.

"Hey girl." Darcy said to her horse, stroking her mane. She was a beautiful horse. A smooth chestnut brown and silky smooth with white hair and socks. "You're not going to throw me off, right."

"Darcy, be careful," Fandral called. "Horses can sense fear."

"I'm not scared of her! Isn't that right?" She stroked the mane. "I know she won't hurt me, not intentionally. I'm not scared of her I'm scared of me fucking up. I've never ridden a horse before what if I do something wrong? Like if I fall, and grab her mane by accident?"

"Well, I suggest you don't do that." Sif said.

Darcy glared at her and Sif smiled.

Darcy turned her glare on them all. "I cannot believe you are making me do this."

It was, she believed, a very very very terrible idea.

* * *

 

"And then what happened?" Jane asked eagerly.

Darcy glared across the table where Sif, Volstagg and Fandral were in hysterics.

"And then," Sif said, wiping away a tear. "Fandral decided Darcy ought to have a weapon."

"She had mentioned jousting when first we met! How was I to know she did not know how to do it?" Fandral protested through laughter.

"I was joking!" Darcy said. "Who knows how to joust?"

"But her horse saw the weapon..." Sif trailed off because she was laughing too hard.

"And her horse bolted..." Volstagg continued.

"Straight through the city..." Fandral joint in.

"Before abruptly halting in front of the lake." Darcy finished somewhat miserably. "An unplanned swim for me."

Jane and Thor both joined in with the laughter, and even Darcy smiled slightly, it was funny she supposed. A bit.

"You seem to at least have had an enjoyable week." Thor said.

"Yeah it's been great." Darcy said.

"Hardly," Fandral interrupted, turning to Thor. "We spend about an hour or two with her each day because she insists on using the library for every other spare second. I have never met someone so keen on reading factual texts."

"You enjoy the books?" Thor asked, turning to her.

Darcy nodded. "Yeah well they are facts to you but to me they're interesting. Not much in the way of character descriptions though. I think I prefer fiction."

"There are fictional texts in the library, are there not?" Sif asked, frowning.

Thor shook his head and turned back to Darcy. "My brother Loki kept most of those books in his room."

"Oh." Darcy said, feeling awkward. The last thing she had wanted was to lead them back onto a conversation that would make Thor sad.

"He...He is hardly using them now." Thor said, smiling weakly as though attempting to joke. "His room is in the same position as mine, but on the west end rather than the East. You may help yourself to any books you wish."

"What? No, I couldn't do that." Darcy protested.

"I insist." Thor said. "It will be nice to know that someone is enjoying them."  
Darcy swallowed. She really wanted the books, but she didn't want Thor to be upset. Then again he was insisting. And whether they liked it or not, Loki was dead.

It wasn't like she was stealing them from him.

Her mind was set.

"Okay," She said. "If you're okay with it, I'll go tonight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from Going Out by A Rocket To The Moon. I feel like I need some dramatic music at the end of that...umm
> 
> DUN DUN DAAAAAH
> 
> Yeah woo Asgardian montage...it sure would be awkward if something happened...Anyway hope you liked the chapter, thanks for all of your reviews. I showed my flatmate them when drunk and he was like "aww they're sooo nice...they love you" I don't know why I felt the need to share that but yeah. (probably because I just ate like two boxes of nerds) 
> 
> Please review.


	5. Not Quite Satan

After dinner, Darcy found herself wandering up to Thor's floor. She couldn't help but feel slightly odd about what she was about to do, but she didn't know why.

Was it just that it was Loki's room? Darcy thought it was actually quite nice – and from what she had heard of Odin, most unexpected- that he still had his room. She would have thought he would have redecorated it to a home gym or something when Loki went dark side.

Then again, if he wanted a home gym, it wasn't like he was lacking for space...

No, she didn't know what it was. Was it because it was Loki? She'd never met him but he'd almost killed her in Puente Antiguo, and of course he'd destroyed New York in his quest for world domination.

But those things were just so huge. That Loki seemed so distant and impossibly big, too over the top to comprehend or understand. Like a comic book villain who just does these huge acts for no real reason.

No, in her mind the Loki whose room she was venturing to was just Thor's brother. He'd done things that were wrong and immoral, and he'd argued with Thor. But he'd helped him, and according to Jane and Thor, he had been distraught when his mother died. And he'd realised he was wrong. He'd apologised. Heck, he'd given his life to do the right thing for once.

Didn't that make him seem like far too intricate a person to be capable of doing such a two dimensional act as taking over a planet?

Then again it wasn't like he was voicing his motivations at the same time he was yelling for people to kneel.

She sighed. Why was she even thinking all of this? Loki had never been anything to her but the name behind acts.

She was just going to get some books and leave- that was all. She wasn't there for some insight into Loki's life, she was there for fiction.

And perhaps if she weren't so interested in what Asgardian fiction was like, she would have just left it. Unfortunately Darcy's curiosity was far too great and the only book she'd had time to throw into her bag was Zeus Grants Stupid Wishes: A No Bullshit Guide To World Mythology. She thought it might be helpful here. She'd tried reading textbooks on mythology but she just couldn't, and as Rick Riordan was yet to write a book on Norse myths this was the best one she had.

And a fabulous book though it undoubtedly was, it wasn't going to last her very long.

She smirked at the thought of that author learning about Thor, Loki, and the Asgardians. Imagine watching your TV, and seeing gods you have researched for years being real and attacking the world. Someone you introduced as "So Loki, the god of being a needless prick all the time" destroying a city.

Darcy longed for days where she would have found that amusing rather than kind of scary. Despite how much she loved Thor and Sif and Fandral and Volstagg, her life was a lot less complicated and made a lot more sense before all this happened.

She found herself on the polished stairs up to Thor's floor. She smiled at the thought of Loki the God as opposed to Loki Thor's brother –for they were very different in her head- finding out she was going into his room to get books.

Probably something like: "PUNY MORTAL DARES DISTURB MY CHAMBERS!"

Yep, life used to be a lot less complicated.

She turned in the opposite direction to the one she had walked to go to Thor's room. Her mind wandered to the kind of fiction she might find. Romance? Adventure? Comedy? She really didn't care. She was having fiction withdrawals. As fun as reading about various wars and cultures was she wanted character development and plot twist and villains who were more than just names on a page.

Loki's room. She hadn't even realised she'd reached it but the door was bigger than the others in the hall just like Thor's had been, marking it out as a room of a prince.

She reached her hand out, before realising how ridiculous it was that her hand was curled into a fist, as though prepared to knock. It was an empty room.

Instead, she clutched the door handle and turned it.

Her first surprise was that the room was lit.

Of course, most of the rooms in Asgard were, but Darcy assumed that because this wasn't in use and hadn't been for years that it would be dim.

Instead flames flickered in lanterns along the walls. It was nice actually, a lot of the rooms were lit with energy like lights, but the flames made everything seem a bit calmer. Of course it must have been burning some Asgardian oil because no lamps on Earth would burn like that.

Her second surprise was the books.

Of course she'd known he would have some- that was her whole purpose of being here- but so many?

It was like a smaller version of the library, one wall lined with them.

And these were well worn, clearly read and loved all his life, which was hundreds of years longer than she'd had.

She walked over as though in a trance, attracted to them like a magnet. Her fingers trailed across the spines, feeling the creases and ridges.

She wondered which was his favourite, suddenly acutely aware that these were not just a selection of books but  _his_  selection of books. And she knew how they worked. She knew how words could shape you, and she wanted to know which ones had had the most effect in making him who he was.

She didn't even know why she cared, she'd never even thought about the man before today but stepping into his room felt like stepping into his mind. And especially his books. He'd clearly loved them a lot.

She turned to face the rest of the room. She didn't know what she'd expected. More gold, green and black? That was what he was wearing in the footage of New York, maybe she had just come to associate that with him.

But the furniture was dark brown, and the fabrics a mix of green and blue.

On his bedside table, she saw more books and wandered over to them. It was only a small stack and one was lying face down, open at a page. Maybe the last one he had read?

She leant closer, reading the title.

_Prophecies of The Great.  
_

In elaborate, gold lettering across the dark blue leather. That was some Sybill Trelawney shit right there.

On his opposite wall were torn sheets of paper, covered in scrawling runes. She moved closer to them. There appeared to be two different handwritings covering them though both were illegible to her, perhaps not even in English. One of what seemed to be the original text was printed neatly, but scrawling annotations had been written in a looping hand. Loki's maybe?

Next to them was a painting in an ornate frame. The brush-strokes seemed at once delicate and precise, as though made by an expert hand. The picture showed a beautiful garden that looked somehow dreamlike. In it, a young boy of around four or five leant over a patch of grass, hand raised over a flower taking bud in a swirl of green.

A picture of Loki doing magic. Darcy couldn't help but smile. It was quite cute, like an Asgardian version of a home photo.

She squinted at the writing beneath:  _Loki's First Spell_  – Frigga Allmother.

 _Oh my God his mom had painted it?_  Her smile widened. That was so cute.

Especially given what she knew about Loki, that he was willing to put aside his acts of evil and whatever slights had been done to him in order to avenge her death.

She turned, feeling suddenly like looking at the painting was an invasion of privacy.

Instead she saw more sheets of paper littering the floor in that second, loopy hand. She picked one up curiously.

A door to her side opened and she turned, expecting it to be Thor checking on her. Instead her breath caught in her throat.

Of course she should have realised that the door to the room was behind her.

The man who entered turned from calm to furious in the split second he saw her. Bypassing only a moment of surprise, before blinding anger replaced it. His teeth were grit and eyes were practically burning with fury.

She dropped the sheet of paper in shock.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded furiously.

Darcy stuttered, her mouth opening and closing without making a sound.

And before she even made the conscious decision to do it she had turned and was running for the door.

"I was just leaving!" She blurted.

But just before her hand closed around the handle, the door slammed shut. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that he'd flicked his hand.

Shit, he had magic.

Her hand scrambled at the handle but no matter how much she pulled and pushed, the door wouldn't budge. He must have locked it.

Perhaps she could call for help, but right now she didn't feel capable of saying a word.

Her heart pumped rapidly with terror, and her breathing was sharp. All she could do was stare at the door. But that meant having her back to him, and if she was stuck in here, she wouldn't let him out of her sight.

Slowly, she turned round to face him, trying not to think about just how scared she was, because she was truly fucking terrified.

Instead she forced herself to raise her head and take in the man before her.

He had black hair like ravens feathers, pushed back sharply and damp. Presumably he had been washing in the bathroom. His eyes were shrewd, looking at her in a mix of anger and annoyance. The planes of his face could have been carved with a chisel, extreme and sharp and so godly they could have come from a Greek statue.

Heck he was even wearing the same, or at last a very similar outfit to the one he had worn in New York: black and green leather coating his chest and legs, forming a coat with a high collar that only accentuated his features more. All decorated with gold.

Loki.

Loki standing in front of her. Loki staring at her with fury.

Loki who was supposed to be dead.

And she didn't know who she had been kidding on her way here or what she had been thinking as she had looked round the room because this was no complex man who was Thor's brother and a  _person_.

This was every bit the nightmare of New York. The look he was giving her alone could probably have razed the city.

And she was so fucking scared.

And yet she stared at him defiantly, forcing her features into a mask of calm. Her immediate defence was confidence, usually presented in the form of comedy.

So she wouldn't let him think she was scared, because she was under no delusions that he wouldn't take complete and utter advantage of her.

He had walked forward as she scrambled at the door, and continued to walk forwards, his leather boots making the softest sound on the floor like a cat treading carefully.

Like a cat ready to pounce.

"I shall ask you again," He said. His voice was smooth and deadly, sending shivers of anticipation up her spine. She had never met anyone who was capable of sounding quite so menacing. "What are you doing here?"

She had expected no words. Heck if she was honest she expected for him to make her spontaneously combust on the spot.

She supposed this was going better than her expectations at least.

"I...uh...I mean I-"

His jaw jutted in annoyance.

"Books." She choked out. She swallowed, her throat dry though that was evidently the least of her worries. "I was here for books."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "And yet you were on the opposite side of the room to the bookshelf."

"I...I was just curious...I'm sorry." She rambled. "I just...I saw the sheets, that's all. I came for the books and then it just...looked interesting."

"You came for books?" Loki asked. "There is a library, is there not? And you came here?"

"I..." She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. There was no point looking like she wasn't scared if she was going to then convince him otherwise by rambling like a mad woman. "I was saying to Thor that I couldn't find any fiction in the library. He said it was all up here, and that I should come get it."  _Because you were supposed to be dead_ , she thought angrily.

And yet here he was. Living, breathing and snarling in anger.

He considered her words for a moment. "That is all you came for?" He asked.

She nodded hurriedly. "I swear, it's not like there's anything else in here I care about." She suddenly realised that might sound rude and she really shouldn't be rude to someone like him. "I mean, not that it's not interesting, like I said I think it is and-"

"Silence." He snapped.

Darcy paused, but instead of doing the logical thing and shutting up she opened her mouth to make an angry retort.

She forced herself to physically bite her tongue, and she could taste blood in her mouth, but it was better than encouraging the crazy God of Mischief to kill her.

"Well, if that's all I guess I'll be off." She said, turning back to the door and yanking at the handle. Shit it still wouldn't open. "Hey, uh, you want to open the door?"

"I think not." He said. He brought a hand up to his lips as though thinking, a slight crease forming between his eyebrows.

"What? You don't believe I'm here for books?" She asked.

"I believe that." He replied. "However, there remains the problem that I am known throughout Asgard to be dead, and I cannot allow you to leave knowing that you will soon spread information to the contrary."

Would he kill her to keep her silent?

Or imprison her?

Adrenaline raced through her veins, a flight or fight response. Obviously flight wasn't an option.

Could she fight him?

She had her taser, it wasn't like she would walk around Asgard without it. And it had worked on Thor.

But Thor didn't have magic. Would Loki be able to deflect it? Or at the very least make it so that it wouldn't knock him out?

"Dude, your secret is safe with me. Mum's the word." Darcy hurriedly said.

Loki rolled his eyes.

Darcy frowned. He just went from terrifying villain to petulant teenager in seconds.

"Yes, and I'm sure I believe you." Loki said sarcastically.

Sarcasm? Really? Oh my god maybe he was a petulant teenager...

He lifted his hand and the fear returned to her in a sudden rush.

How had she forgotten that he was kind of in the middle of practically threatening to kill her?

Green energy seemed to flash between his quick hand movement, and she fumbled for her taser, terrified that this was it.

But she was too late, she'd barely even gripped the taser in her pocket, when the light flew from his hands straight at her.

She went to take a step back but realised she was pressed up against the wall. The greenish light hit her chest and she flinched, preparing for pain.

Instead, she felt sudden warmth rushing from the point the light had hit throughout her body. As it reached her head it seemed to burn more, not painfully but still warmer than the rest, particularly through her mouth. And it felt like the warmth was squeezing her brain.

And all at once it was gone.

And she was alive.

She gasped in surprise and stared at Loki. "What was that?" She asked without thinking.

"A tongue-tying spell." Loki said simply.

"A what?" She asked. That sounded so pathetic, especially given what she had thought would happen.

"You cannot tell anyone that I am alive." He explained. "Nor write it down nor drag them here...nothing with the intention of anyone finding out I am alive will be possible for you."

So that was it? Somehow she didn't believe that.

"You're not going to kill me?" She asked, only realising afterwards that perhaps she shouldn't have suggested that to him.

He looked at her sharply. "I had no plans to."

"Why?" She asked.

He frowned at her. "Are you disappointed?"

"No but...you're Loki. You didn't exactly care about people dying in New York. Or Stuttgart for that matter." She pointed out.

He looked at her for a moment as though deciding what to say. "You are a guest of the Allfather's." He said. "Killing you would raise too many questions."

"Okay, great!" She said, turning to the door before he could change his mind. She gripped the handle praying that it would work. To her surprise, it twisted under her grip and she sprinted out, slamming the door behind her.

She ran down the hall in case he decided to come after her though realistically she didn't think he would.

She sprinted all the way to her room two floors below, almost slipping and breaking her neck on the polished floors.

"Darcy," Erika greeted.

"I'm sorry," She blurted too distracted to care for giving her handmaiden an explanation. "But can I be alone please."

Darcy wasn't watching her but she assumed she looked somewhat affronted.

"Yes, of course." She said, sounding slightly upset.

Darcy collapsed on the bed, staring at the ceiling where two floors above Loki was alive.

Loki. Thor's brother, whose death had devastated him.

Loki, who had been imprisoned for murder and attempted world domination.

Loki, who had saved Jane's life several times.

Loki, who had helped save the universe from the dark elves and the Aether.

Loki was alive. And she was the only one who knew.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Both Sides of The Story by We Are The In Crowd. Can I add another dun dun duh? Maybe I just need that on a permanent loop to accompany chapters like this. Thanks for all the kudos and comments, you people are fabulous. Also that book mentioned is seriously the best thing ever and I highly recommend it.
> 
> Please comment


	6. A God or A Disgrace

Darcy simply couldn't believe what had just happened.

Her heart had finally slowed to a regular beat, but she could still remember the fear she had felt when he'd appeared.

Loki was alive. How? Why? What for?

Thousands of questions raced in her head.

As her fear subsided, it was replaced with anger.

She had been getting books from the room of a man who was supposed to be dead. He couldn't blame her for stumbling across his secret.

And dear God, if he wanted the fact he was alive to remain a secret, she could think of a few thousand better hiding places than his room.

But that simply led to her wondering why. From what she had heard, Loki was the clever one. The evil, mischievous and calculating one, yes, but the clever one nonetheless.

So surely he must know that going to his room would be foolish? There was nothing to stop someone, like herself, from walking in and finding him.

So what was he doing there? And he must be doing something. There must be some reason for him being in the palace rather than hiding in another realm in case he was found and sent back to the dungeons. And according to the stories she'd heard from Thor and the myths she had read, when was Loki ever  _not_  up to something?

The question was: was it dangerous?

Because there was one thing she was certain of. She needed to tell Thor.

But she couldn't.

Because he'd put that stupid charm on her. And she'd tested it. She'd assumed he was lying so had got up to tell Thor immediately but she couldn't, she literally couldn't move. She tried every variation but whenever she intended to make Loki's existence known her body stopped obeying her.

And it felt like such a violation that she punched the pillow next to her, imagining it was that prick's face.

She sat up. No...she shouldn't...

But her legs were already moving, and she was aware that this was very, very stupid, but she deserved answers, and she was damn well going to get some.

"Erika," She said to her haindmaiden who waited in the hall. "I am going to Loki's room to get books."

At least she was able to say that, it wasn't said so Loki would be discovered but so that she had some insurance. Someone who knew where she was should she go missing...and hopefully find some traces as to what had happened.

"Oh um, very well." Erika mumbled, clearly shocked.

Darcy was too busy storming back up to Loki's floor to listen to her shocked words.

Her hand tapped her pocket. Her taser was there. If he didn't answer her she could always try threats.

Hopefully the fact that it would be too easy to find out where she last was, would stop Loki from doing anything. Particularly, she hoped, anything murderous.

 _Oh great idea Darcy_ , she thought, a  _really great idea._

And yet still her legs were moving in the direction of his room.

The door was in front of her within seconds, anger still boiling under the surface of her skin. Her hands were itching for her taser but she figured she should at least try the civil approach first.

She flung the door open so hard it slammed into the wall on the other side.

Loki jumped.

Wait no, it wasn't Loki.

It was another man, a servant judging by his attire, who was reading on the bed and scrambling up guiltily as though caught in an indecent act.

Darcy felt her anger change to confusion, and then to embarrassment, as she realised she had intruded on a servant who was presumably reading when he should have been working. And hey, it wasn't like she'd never bunked off work to read.

She was about to open her mouth to apologise when his look of guilt turned to one of distaste.

"Oh, it's you." He said, a green light suddenly encompassing him from head to toe.

And where before had stood a rather unremarkable servant, in his place was the stupidly hot, incredibly intimidating God of Mischief himself.

"What is it you want?" He asked, sounding irritated by her presence.

His tone grated on her and she was suddenly reminded of that quote from her favourite mythology book again.  _"Loki, the god of being a needless prick all the time"_

she thought almost comfortingly, and it teamed with the anger rising from his comment to give her the push necessary to reply.

"Answers, you asshole." She replied, slamming the door behind her.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Excuse me?" He asked sounding affronted.

"You can't just…curse me and not expect me to demand a few things in return." She spat.

He looked upwards like he was on the verge of rolling his eyes. "I owe you nothing." He said calmly.

"Right okay, so I'm just keeping this secret for you and you owe me nothing?" She asked, raising her eyebrows incredulously. She crossed her arms, she'd been in his room less than a minute and she was already so done with this prick.

He looked down at her condescendingly, and she wished she was taller than her five foot four frame, so that she wouldn't have to glare up at him like a child.

"I don't believe you have much choice about that." Loki pointed out.

"Exactly," She said through gritted teeth. "I have no choice because you did this. So if you're going to be a jerk then screw it, I'm getting something in return."

"And how do you suppose to go about that?" Loki asked.

"How are you alive?" She asked, ignoring him and cutting to the most pressing point.

This time he did roll his eyes, and he turned away from her, his leather coat swinging with him.

"Yes," He drawled sarcastically.  _When did sarcasm reach Asgard? It went straight over Thor's head,_  she wondered."I will of course reveal that to you."

"Did you fake dying?" She asked, not letting his refusals deter her.

"No." He answered curtly.

She smiled, glad that his back was to her so he couldn't see. It may not be getting her very far but at least he'd actually answered the question.

"Did you heal yourself?" She asked.

"No." He replied, slightly more irritated.

"Go unconscious?" She tried.

"No!" He was definitely getting annoyed now.

She tilted her head to the side as she examined him, running out of ideas as to how he could die in front of Jane and Thor. The fact he was answering with no, rather than a refusal to answer at all suggested he was telling the truth. Of course, that could be some greater way of convincing her of his lies but she doubted it.

"Are you a zombie?" She asked, uncertain as to whether she was actually joking or not.

"Miss Lewis, why are you here?" He snarled, turning round to face her.

"What's the matter," She asked, "First time talking to someone who actually knows you're you in a while?"

He hesitated for a fraction of a second too long that led Darcy to believe she wasn't quite wrong. There was a slight glint to his eyes that suggested not quite loneliness, but a need to be seen, seen as himself rather than a servant or whoever else he was pretending to be.

And heck, if he hadn't just cursed her then maybe she would have felt some sympathy for the bastard.

"The matter is incessant questions being asked by a presumptuous mortal who assumes she deserves an answer." He replied.

"I do deserve an answer, darling." She said saccharinely. "Well, you aren't trying to eat my brains, so I guess you aren't a zombie. Are you going to tell me how you are alive or not?"

He gave her a look that suggested he found it shocking she even needed to ask such a thing. "Evidently not." He said. "I find it alarming you ever presumed otherwise."

"Okay fine, I can come back to that question later." She carried on unperturbed. "So what is it you're doing on Asgard?"

"Please leave." He said wearily.

"I mean other than cursing mortals and being an irritating asshole?" She asked.

"You have the nerve to call another irritating?" He asked in response.

"Like really what are you doing?" She asked.

"Leave. Now." He said.

This time it was her turn to roll her eyes- after all she believed she was the only one in the universe to retain that teenage habit but apparently some kept it until they were a thousand years old. Maybe she'd tell her mom that the next time she was told she was too old to do such a thing…

"Or what?" She asked. "You'll run to daddy Odin and tell him the annoying mortal won't leave you alone?" His eyes narrowed at the mention of his father's name. Well at least someone else around here disliked him. "Oh wait, yeah!" She pretended to hit herself on the forehead as she feigned sudden realisation. "Then he'll know you're alive. And then he'll probably throw you back in the dungeons…"

"I do not require him to make you leave." Loki said icily, clearly the mentioning of the king had not endeared him towards her. Which was such a shame because she was sure up until that moment he had loved having her around.

"Really?" She asked. "Because I told people I was coming here-"

"How?" He said immediately, straightening up slightly.

"Oh calm down, your little curse is still intact, no true love's kiss has broken it yet. I just figured if I was going to a temperamental dickhead's room then perhaps someone should know where I am. You know, for when he inevitably starts threatening me. Like you are now. So you can't hurt me."

He glared at her, annoyed but also clearly somewhat impressed with her foresight.

"Ha, suck it!" She said, poking her tongue out at him. Okay, maybe she was enjoying their confrontation a little too much.

He ran a hand through his hair in irritation as he looked away from her. She smiled in appreciation, an ass though he undoubtedly was, he was a hot one.

She had forgotten what she had been asking him, and had to admit that her intention may have swayed from questioning him, to annoying the hell out of him. What could she say? Irritating him was just a little too much fun.

She walked to his bed and threw herself on top of it, lounging lazily like she intended to stay there a long time. Making herself at home she hoped was bound to infuriate him.

She leant over and plucked the book he had been reading up. "'Prophecies of The Great,'" She read. "So is that like 'A half blood of the eldest gods' kind of thing or more of a 'the one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches' thing? God, prophecies are such a cliché, I can't believe people still use them."

He was looking at her in a strange way that she couldn't quite place: a little uncomfortable, slightly interested, and with measured restraint.

With a start, she realised she'd just clambered onto this incredibly hot god's bed and heck, even if her intentions were completely innocent (well sexually speaking at least because intending to wind him up probably didn't count as entirely innocent) her thoughts were now leading in a direction that definitely weren't and she really hoped his weren't going a similar way.

She put the book back down and slowly stood back up again, attempting to make it look casual.

"Okay, so hypothetically speaking," She started, remembering where she had left off. "If you  _were_  up to something sinister what would it be?"

He gave her another condescending look. He seemed to have three expressions: glare, condescension and irritation. "How could I possibly be planning anything when the world assumes me dead? I would leave this room and be arrested immediately."

She glared at him. "Nu-uh. Don't give me that nonsense, I'm not an idiot." He opened his mouth, presumably to say something like "Really?" but she raised her hand to stop him. "Shut up, I do not need your sass Loki. When I came in, you transformed into a servant and back again. Who knows who you've been masquerading as. For all I know, you could be my handmaiden." She hesitated before looking at him curiously. "Wait you aren't, are you?"

He shook his head slightly in amusement. "One moment you accuse me of sinister plans, and the next you suggest I am impersonating your handmaiden. At this point I do not know what it is you expect me to be doing."

"Hey, if the myths are right your immediate answer to stopping a wall being built was to seduce and fuck the builder's horse. So for all I know your way to world domination could be watching me in my panties." She said. She suddenly realised what she had just said, and felt colour flush into her cheeks.

"I assure you that particular myth is simply that." He said dryly. "A myth."  
Clearly he was a bit distracted by the insinuation of bestiality, which Darcy supposed made sense as it was apparently a worse accusation than being a pervert.

"'That particular myth,'" She repeated. "You mean there's truth to the others? You and Thor dressed in drag to defeat a giant? You're the mother of wolves? You bet your head that some dwarves couldn't make some cool items?"

He glared at her. Darcy was starting to get used to that look. "I shall deign not to reply to that." He said.

Darcy's mouth opened in shocked excitement. "No way! Which one's true?"

"Are these really the questions you came here with the intention to ask?" He asked, his voice back to its smooth undertone of that of an adult putting up with an irritating child.

"Are you going to answer my others?" She asked.

"No." He answered.

"Then are you the mother of wolves?"

He turned away, his fingers flexing slightly as though itching to curl into fists. Hmm, and Darcy had always believed he was never the sort to resort to violence. Well, him fighting at least, he was clearly no stranger to getting others to do it.

She grinned, well she supposed if anyone could bring that out in him it was her.

Soon, she'd be having him ramming his head against the wall. She smiled at the thought.

"So seriously," She continued. "It's been what…four months since the dark elves? And you've been alone the entire time? No one else knows you're alive?"

"No one in this realm." Loki confirmed.

"Wow, so I'm the first person to know and you treat me like this? Dude, no wonder you have no friends." She said.

Loki scowled at her as if that hardly mattered.

"Well, I guess apart from Fandral, he's the only one other than Thor who speaks of you like they actually care." She said before realising that maybe that wasn't the nicest thing to say. Damn her lack of filters. Of course she wanted to be mean to Loki, but wasn't mocking the lack of people who liked him a bit childish?

"Do you not think you had best go?" Loki asked.

"Um no, why?" Darcy asked.

"Because you informed others you were coming here and you have been here a while. That may invoke some curiosity." Loki said.

"That's your problem, not mine." She said but now that he had said it she found she felt a very strong urge to go. Whilst her purpose in staying was to annoy Loki, there was part of her that hoped someone did notice that she was gone and came looking for her, stumbling across Loki in the process.

Which meant that thanks to the stupid spell he put on her meant that she couldn't physically stay put.

"Urgh, I hate you." She said at his quirked eyebrows- he was evidently aware that she could not stay. Instead of the door however she walked to the bookshelf.

"What are you doing?" He asked as her eyes roved over the titles.

"Getting books." She answered.

"You are  _not_  taking my books." Loki said behind her.

She turned to face him, arms crossed and looking at him scornfully. "Thor sent me up here to get books. I told people I was coming here to get some. Don't you think it might look the slightest bit suspicious if I return without any?"

His lips pressed into a thin line as he realised she was right, though he obviously wasn't happy about it.

He walked to the end bookshelf and plucked three books from the highest shelf, holding them out to her. "Take these." He said.

She raised her eyebrows doubtfully. "Book recommendations?"

He smirked. "Something like that, yes."

She took the books and knew she couldn't stay longer. "Right see you tomorrow then." She said, smiling at the annoyed look on his face. "Oh yeah I'm coming back, don't worry."

He glared at her as she left.

"Wait," She said, standing in the doorway. "Just please can you tell me, are you planning anything dangerous?"

"No." He answered.

"No you're not planning anything, or no you're not going to answer?"

"No." He said again.

But she couldn't say anything back, as her feet were literally dragging her out the door. The moment the door closed, any smile she still had lingering on her face fell.

She was confused about what had happened. Because the last time she'd seen Loki he'd been a terrifying monster. And now he'd turned into a person. An annoying jerk of a person, yes but a person nonetheless.

And Darcy knew with unquestionable certainty that seeing Loki as a person was anything but a good thing.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from This Is London by Airborne Toxic Event. 
> 
> Please comment.


	7. Through Your Disguise

Darcy had fallen asleep still thinking about Loki, so that when she woke, her perception of what had happened was slightly warped by the things she had thought whilst on the edge of consciousness.

Hey, maybe he wasn't so bad. Yeah, he'd cursed her, but it was that or risk that she'd tell someone and he'd be sent to the dungeons.

Of course she still maintained that he could have just asked her, but maybe that just wasn't how things were done on Asgard.

Otherwise he'd just been hostile and refused to answer her questions. But her questions had been rather personal she supposed, and so he wasn't the most socially adept guy in the world…

Whatever, it wasn't like she was going to see him again. He'd probably use all his magical abilities to avoid her.

She rolled over in bed and yawned. She was still sleepy, but at that annoying stage in the morning where she knew no matter how much she tried she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep so all she could do was lie there with her eyes closed and pretend to be unconscious.

After a while however, she was too alert for that to be anything but boring, and her covers were too warm for her to even contemplate getting up.

Instead, she rolled over and grabbed her phone off of the side.

It took her about two seconds to remember that her phone wouldn't work on Asgard. And even if it did checking social networking sites probably wasn't a big priority on Asgard.

She smiled at the thought of Asgardians with access to modern technology. Thor hitting things with Mjolnir "for the vine." Fandral and Volstagg having a Youtube channel comprising of them basically having banter with strong homoerotic themes. Sif obsessively becoming a social justice blogger, at least feminism wise, because she didn't seem to think the hierarchy that existed on Asgard was wrong.

And Loki…what would he do? Read fanfiction? Have a vlog where he rants daily about the people that annoyed him? Wait no, he'd totally have a ✧*:・Soft Grunge ✧*:・blog.

Anyway, it had been a week and her phone had been off the entire time. She figured she may as well check.

She turned it on and felt her eyes widen in surprise as she saw that she not only had signal, but 3G too.

After a moment, her phone started buzzing incessantly as countless missed calls came through to her phone. The majority of which were from her mom.

Her stomach clenched with worry as she clicked the call button. Had something happened? Was someone hurt? Worse?

The seconds that the phone was ringing seemed to stretch into hours, each one that passed making her more and more scared of the news that would greet her when her mom answered the phone.

"Darcy!" Her mom gasped as she finally answered, relief clearly evident in her voice.

"Yeah Mom, it's me," Darcy said quickly. "What's wrong?"

"Are you all right?" Her mom asked.

"Yeah I'm fine, I told you I probably wouldn't have signal here."

"But the weather dear!" Her mom said.

"Norway is cold, Mom, but it's spring, it's really not that bad." Darcy said with a slight smile, her mom had lived in Arizona and California. She didn't do cold.

"Darling, what are you talking about?" Her mom asked.

"Did you try to phone me all those times to ask about the weather?" Darcy suddenly realised that she had no clue what was happening on Earth. Maybe it  _was_  a little colder than usual in Norway. "I mean it's cold but it's Norway. They're used to the weather being like this and they are prepared for it."

"Mmhmm," Her mom said like she didn't believe her. "Norway is prepared for the lowest temperatures on record since records began?"

"Wait, what?" Darcy asked. She'd only been gone a week. It couldn't be that bad.

"Darling it's ten degrees here! I can only imag-"

"It's ten degrees in California?" Darcy asked, unable to believe it.

"Where have you been?" Her mom asked like she couldn't believe Darcy didn't know this. "Scientists are saying it's predictive of a new ice age!"

"Well uh, the base is pretty remote so we don't have access to news reports and it's all inside, so the temperature hasn't budged from seventy. I'm okay and I will be fine. Are you? Are you safe? Are you keeping warm?" Darcy asked.

"Yes I'm wearing my ski stuff all the time but I am fine. I love you Darcy, make sure you let me know if anything changes." Her mom said.

"Yeah I'll try." Darcy said. "Love you too."

She hung up and lay thinking about it for a while. Was this even possible?

Then she realised she was the last person to know the answer to that, but she did have access to someone who did.

* * *

 

It took her about twenty minutes to track Jane and Thor down to the kitchens, where Jane was examining all of the equipment.

"I'm just saying could I maybe borrow this and…take it apart and put it back together again. Just so I could see how it works?" She was asking one of the kitchen servants whilst holding a weird metal ball thing.

The servant looked amused but responded politely. "Of course, my lady."

Darcy wondered if she would have got the same response if she weren't dating the future king.

"Hey Jane," Darcy said hurrying up to her. "Have you heard what's happening on Earth?"

Jane frowned at her. "No, should I? Is it more Hydra stuff?"

"No apparently it's the next ice age." Darcy said.

"Don't exaggerate." Jane said.

"I'm not." Darcy said.

Jane seemed to realise Darcy was telling the truth (she always seemed shocked when this happened) and turned to Thor.

"I can ask Heimdall to check on Midgard." Thor said.

Jane nodded. "Thanks."

"It may take a while." Thor said before leaving.

"How did you find this out anyway?" Jane asked.

"My mom phoned." Darcy said.

"You have signal on Asgard?" Jane asked, impressed. "That must be some data plan, though I dread to think what the international charges will be."

Darcy shrugged. "It's not like I'm going to be there to pay the bill."

"It will take Thor a while to get to Heimdall and back." Jane said.

"Do you need any help?" Darcy asked.

"Nah you can go to the library." Jane answered with a smile.

Oh yeah, Darcy could see what those books Loki had given her were like.

Darcy went back to her room to grab one before returning to the library.

However, the library wasn't empty. The hot guard was in there.

"You know," She said as she entered. "For someone who isn't supposed to be in here you sure come in here an awful lot."

"Yes well, I find it peaceful." He said, looking up from his book pointedly. "Or at least it was."

"Ouch, someone's in a bad mood today." She said, sitting opposite him. "So what are you reading?"

He didn't answer so she reached over and grabbed the book. Admittedly, if someone did this to her she'd be furious, but she wanted the hot guard to pay attention to her, so drastic measures had to be taken.

However, time seemed to freeze as she read the title.

_Prophecies of The Great.  
_

Elaborate gold lettering. Blue leather.

After a moment, she found the strength to lift her head and stare at him in shock.

"Oh my God, it's you." She said.

He snatched the book back angrily. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Don't bullshit me, Loki-"

"Shh!" He interrupted, looking around as though to check no one was around to hear.

"You're the hot guard?" She asked. She felt somewhat betrayed. The hot guy was Loki? No fair!

And wait, hadn't she been massively flirting with him yesterday? Oh my God, and he'd been flirting back! The thought, while shocking, was not as repulsive as it should have been. Jerk or not, Loki was undeniably sexy as hell. The guy wore a leather outfit for crying out loud.

"Excuse me?" He said, his expression of anger morphing into a pleased smirk.

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, I'm allowed to say one of your disguises is hot, it's not like it's actually you." Even though Loki was even hotter, now she looked she realised the only thing the same was his eye colour. "You look like Daniel Fitzgerald from Neighbours."

"I do not know who that is." Loki replied.

"Well trust me, he's hot." Darcy said. "So you seriously just spend your time pretending to be other people so that you can read?"

"The majority of it, yes." Loki said.

Darcy smiled, at least that was something she could relate to. Well not the pretending to be other people part, but the read all day aspect. "Well, and sneaking into the throne room and banquets."

"I wished to see the visitors of Asgard." Loki said.

"But you've already met Jane." Darcy said.

He looked at her pointedly.

"Oh…you wanted to see me." She said with realisation. She grinned. "Well hey, that was probably better than your last mortal meeting, didn't Jane slap you?"

He smirked. "Yes she did."

Darcy laughed. "Seriously? Oh my god, do not tell me you actually got turned on by that." Really there was no denying that smirk.

Loki didn't reply, which was answer enough.

"Okay so you were on guard to check me out, and obviously you liked what you saw because you then came to the banquet?" Darcy joked.

Loki smiled slightly. A slight curve of his lips that suggested it was more for his own benefit than anyone else's. It was a really nice smile, Darcy thought, kind of sweet and cute but also really attractive. And Darcy really could appreciate that Loki's smile was something she never thought she'd see. Heck she never thought she'd have a casual conversation with someone like him.

And maybe it was wrong- she squirmed slightly at the thought of what Jane would say- but she was enjoying it.

"Not quite." He said and she realised she was still staring at his lips.

She pulled her eyes back to his face, his own still cast downwards as he read.

"So why'd you go?" Darcy asked. From what she had heard of pre-taking-over-worlds Loki he had never been one to enjoy large gatherings. When forced to attend apparently he preferred to get drunk and insult everyone. Darcy wished she could see that.

He looked up from the book, clearly suppressing a smile but his eyes were sparkling with mischief. Damn, it must have been a long time since he'd spoken to anyone like this because he'd gone from angrily cursing her to being quite content (however much he denied it-  _hello,_  God of Lies) with conversation.

"I felt the need to thank you for the entertainment you provided in meeting Odin." Loki said.

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Dude, meeting him was terrifying, don't mock me. Do you know what it's like to think someone is an utter douche – did you know he called Jane a goat? – and have to be respectful because they are powerful?"

"I tend to forfeit the latter in favour of pointing out the former." Loki replied.

Darcy smiled as she imagined Loki confronting Odin and wished she could have watched his trial or something. She imagined it to go something like:

 

"YOU KILLED THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LOKI!"

"Yes, but at least I don't see eye patches as a fashion statement."

 

Or something like that. Yep, Darcy was certain that's how it happened. Honestly she was surprised he got away with just the dungeons.

"And then one confrontation in a library later, you cursed me?" Darcy asked, eyebrows raising. She may enjoy talking to Loki, but she was still pissed off about that.

He looked at her questioningly. "And what other option was there? Aside from killing you?"

Okay, casually mentioning that killing her was an option…just when she was forgetting that this guy was the same one responsible for the destruction in New York.

"You could have asked." She said.

He raised his eyebrows in a look that could only translate as a sceptical "Asked?"

"I would probably have kept it secret, you know." She said truthfully. "If you'd asked."

"You would have kept the fact that I, a criminal who attempted to subjugate your world, destroy another and rule this one, am alive if I had only asked?" He said, his voice laced with so much sarcasm it was clear that there wasn't a single part of him that believed her.

"Yeah you did all that, and I'm  _loving_  the amount of remorse you're showing there by the way." She added disdainfully. "But you also saved the universe from the Dark Elves. And more importantly, you saved Jane. Like twice. So yeah, if you'd asked me I would have. Probably not happily, definitely reluctantly, but I wouldn't have said anything because after all that I don't think you deserve to go back to the dungeons. I mean, you definitely have some fucked up sense of morality, no one is disputing that. Evil though? I don't think so."

He had listened to this without his expression changing once, and now he returned his gaze to his book as though this whole conversation were beneath him.

"You are wrong." He said simply. "Do not attempt to find redemptive qualities to my character, Miss Lewis. I assure you that there are none."

"Is that a challenge?" She asked.

He lifted his head from his book curiously. She clearly hadn't replied how he'd expected her to, and now he seemed to be unsure of whether she was being truthful.

After a moment he spoke. "Perhaps." He said. "But it is one that is doomed from the start."

"God, don't tell me you believe all that nonsense as well?" She asked. "What is it? You've spent so long being called a monster you became one?"

He smirked again, that infuriating smile that told her she'd said something relating to something significant to him though she didn't understand the relevance.

"Something like that." He said. "Given long enough, you will share that view."

"I doubt it." She shrugged. "Not when I have to put up with Fandral and Volstagg and Thor," She carefully left Sif out of that and she doubted it escaped his notice.

"Telling me how great you were. The voice of reason apparently which for a guy with a horned helmet is pretty shocking. The quiet one too apparently, and you could have fooled me."

"That person never existed. Their whole existence was built on lies." Loki smiled self-deprecatingly. "This is the truth. A monster. Most people prefer the illusion."

"Yeah, you sure look like a monster just sat there reading." Darcy said.

Loki closed his book and stood up.

"Wait!" Darcy called and he paused, turning to her irritated as though to say that she had better have a good reason for stopping him. "I don't get it. Shouldn't it be the other way round? Shouldn't I be the one calling you a monster and you be the one calling me a foolish mortal or something?"

"I believe the evidence that you are a foolish mortal is in the fact that you are not saying that." Loki said before smirking. "Though you have already proved yourself not to conform to societal expectations."

"Yep, that's me. Darcy, the deviant from expectation." She stood up too because she couldn't stand him looking down on her. "And you know what? You're an asshole. You're possibly one of the biggest jerks I've ever met. I definitely preferred the guard to you, and heck I probably prefer the servant. But I also get really pissed off when people call themselves monsters. You can't just say that and act like it excuses everything you've done. You're calling yourself a monster? Then change it."

"That would be rather difficult given that I am presumed dead." Loki replied.

"Then start with me." She said. "Stop being a prick to me."

Loki rolled his eyes. "I think I am content with being the villain."

And for some reason it got her really angry. Because if he was going to be the villain he should have stayed all intimidating and scary.

And even if he didn't enjoy it, even if his replies were rude and sarcastic he'd actually spoken to her.

Loki wasn't a villain. He was a douchebag. And making him see that sounded pretty inviting right now.

She laughed with hostility. "A villain? Don't make me laugh. You're a fucking joke. You waged a war on mankind that lasted a day. You got shish-kebabed by a fucking elf."

He raised his eyebrows at her pointedly, and she realised she'd kind of made a U-turn in what she as saying.

"I'm just saying," She sighed. "You didn't make a very good villain but you did manage to help save the universe. Maybe you should try being a decent person?"

"And perhaps you should be thankful I did not kill you when I had the chance, a decision I have long since been regretting." He hissed. "Had I known you would talk so incessantly on topics of which you have no knowledge, I would have made a different choice."

He stormed towards the door.

"Yeah well," She said chirpily, knowing nothing would infuriate him more than her responding happily rather than angrily. "I'll see you tonight!"

But he'd left the room, so she didn't see his reaction.

She slumped back into the chair and started banging her head against the table.

Any sane person would have avoided him like the plague, after finding out he was alive. Instead, she'd sought revenge to being cursed by trying to annoy him, and then taken it as her personal mission to get through his layers of sarcasm. All she'd done was find out he had serious issues.

Not that she couldn't have guessed that but who seriously hates themselves that much and still thinks they're better than everyone else?

And why was she still wondering how she could convince him he had a choice in whether or not he was a monster? When did she decide she was up to the job?

But that wasn't it.

She was the only one who knew he was alive. If he believed he was a villain, then that meant he'd be planning something, well, villainous. And being the only one who knew, didn't she have a duty to at least try to stop it?

She'd be damned if he did anything evil on her watch.

And yes, maybe she could even manage to convince herself that was the reason for wanting to spend time in his presence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from All Time Low by Stick To Your Guns (don't like the song but the lyrics were so perfect: I see right through your disguise, I see the lies you hide behind, and this can't stop until you learn a thing or two about sacrifice). Umm so yeah, I have no clue who Daniel Fitzgerald is but apparently he is played by the same actor who played guard Loki so...(fabulous surname though I may be biased). Thank you for all the comments, you're all great. Also I'm guessing Thor 3: Ragnarok is not going to follow this plot but with the amount of sex I have planned for it they so should. Go out with a bang and what not. 
> 
> Please comment.


	8. Something In The Air

In all honesty, Darcy really enjoyed talking to Loki. She didn't know if it was just because it was so much fun annoying him or he was just so easy to mock or what it was but there was something about him that just made her want to be with him.

Of course it may have just been the fact that his voice was like honey to her ears or that he had cheekbones that could make Maleficent cry, but she just didn't think so. And it wasn't even like she thought maybe he was a good person. He wasn't an evil one, but that was a far way off of being good.

No, there was just something about him. A barely perceptible sorrow about him that made each smirk she made make his smile feel like a valuable reward. It was also probably one of the reasons him calling himself a monster had angered her so much, because she didn't see him that way and if she didn't having known him for a day, but having heard only the worst of him for years then he certainly shouldn't either.

And of course, she knew people were not puzzles to be solved but there was an aura of mystery to him, admittedly a lot of Asgardians had a smattering of this but they were so open where Loki was so closed and it just made her want to know more.

So, as things stood, she really had planned to go to Loki's room that night and just talk to him. She would talk and laugh with him and maybe see him smile which would make her get that little flutter in her stomach that she always got when people smiled or laughed because of her but it was somehow more special with Loki, knowing she had made someone so obviously unhappy smile even if it was just for a second.

However, her opinion of him changed the moment she started to read one of the books he had given her.

And then her thoughts changed to whether a knife, her taser or Mjolnir would be the best weapon to kill him with. Clearly the title God of Mischief was well deserved and something he had worked hard to achieve.

However first she had to get through dinner with the others.

Really, it was pretty standard. Fandral provided most of the entertainment with occasional inputs from Volstagg, Thor laughed loudly at them and cast 'subtle' (read: really not subtle at all) looks at Jane across the table while Sif tried not to send disapproving looks at the physicist.

Darcy joined in with lots of the conversation as per usual, the flirting she had had with Fandral for the first couple of days had mostly gone now that they had both accepted nothing would probably happen between them.

After all, it was hard to hear the more crude stories of someone's life and still want to get into bed with them.

But it felt different, and it didn't take a genius to figure out that was because she was keeping an awfully big secret hidden from them.

Not that she really had a choice, but somehow the knowledge that she would have kept the secret anyway made it harder to blame Loki's curse for her not telling them.

Anyway, the only thing she truly registered in the conversation was when Thor brought up the apparent ice age on Earth.

"Heimdall has confirmed there is indeed unusually cold weather on Midgard." Thor said.

"Well, tell the Midgardians to wear some furs, I do not see how that is any concern of ours." Fandral said, idly picking at the food on his plate.

"Perhaps no concern of ours but something the two people at this table who call Midgard their home might be interested." Sif pointed out.

Fandral seemed to suddenly remember Jane and Darcy's existence and at least looked embarrassed about what he had said.

"There is more." Thor said. "Heimdall had not thought anything particularly unusual about it until I asked him about it but he then informed me he had not sensed weather so cold without prior build up since the last attack of the Frost Giants on Midgard."

"Wait, the Frost giants are attacking?" Jane said, choking slightly on her water.

"No," Thor assured her. "It must simply be a coincidence, the Frost Giants would not be able to do anything so serious as attack another world without the Casket of Ancient Winters. However, Heimdall has assured me he shall keep a close watch on the situation."

Darcy just shrugged. It sucked about the weather on Earth but it wasn't like she could do anything about it. Earth would survive, it wasn't like it was the first abnormal weather conditions the planet had faced in recent years.

Her mom would hate it though. Darcy felt guiltily happy that she was not there to hear her mom complain.

After dinner, she grabbed the books Loki had given her and, after assuring they were more or less along the same calibre of the one she had begun to read, marched up to Loki's room.

She hovered outside the door for a moment. She couldn't keep barging in, she supposed, so she raised her hand to the door and knocked.

After all if he didn't reply she could always walk in.

But to her surprise the door opened and Loki's favoured guard disguise stood in the doorway looking at her in irritation.

He sighed. "I suppose there is no stopping your intention to visit?" He said and stepped aside for her to come in.

She grinned smugly, he was finally accepting that she wouldn't be deterred.

Of course, she did not know that he was secretly glad she had come. As strange and puzzling as she was, he did find himself oddly bemused by her and, though he adamantly denied it, he did crave the company of someone who knew who he was. Perhaps it was because he was royal and had been in the spotlight, albeit thoroughly in the shade of Thor, but he found he did not take well to anonymity.

Darcy watched as he cast his sight down the hall to ensure she had not been followed before closing the door.

"Is there a reason for you being here or have you simply come again to test the boundaries of my restraint towards disposing of you?" He asked.

"Actually I'm here to see how well the Asgardian bone structure holds up against my mortal fists." She said.

He tilted his head to the side and looked at her in slight confusion.

In answer she threw the books, which most unlike him he had not noticed until that moment onto the bed.

He feigned innocence, frowning slightly in part hurt and part confusion. And yet his eyes were alight with the kind of mischief that seemed to challenge Darcy's fists.

"You did not like the books?"

She grit her teeth. "Oh you ass."

He smiled at her. "I believed them to be the kind of book you would enjoy."

"I'm surprised, and rather disturbed you've even read them." Darcy said.

"Alas, I regret to inform you that I have not actually read them." He said, starting to smirk now as though unable to stop himself.

"Dude, what?!" She demanded.

"They were birthday presents, over the years, from Fandral. I believe you may appreciate that if he were to read, they would most definitely be the sort of books he would enjoy. I looked at them, ascertained that they were clearly not the kind I myself cared for and a few centuries later gave them to you." Loki said.

Darcy grabbed a pillow off his bed and threw it at him. "Jerk!" She shouted at him as he dodged the pillow, laughing. God, he was like a child putting itching powder in his mom's closet.

"Seriously?" She asked, carrying on. He was still laughing. "The first chapter is an orgy! And it only gets worse from there!"

He frowned at her. "And that is not something you are interested in?" He asked, smiling by the time the words were spoken.

She laughed despite herself, as childish as it was, it was amusing. And, if she was honest, she had to admit that he did deserve to annoy her after all she had done to him. "Oh, you are such a jerk." She said smiling. She shook her head, quickly getting over her annoyance in artistic appreciation of his acts.

She walked over to his bookshelf. "Alright, it was very funny. Now can you recommend some decent books or I'll just pick myself."

She pulled out a book at random and began flicking through it. It seemed to be about a group of warriors and their adventures in various battles. Darcy gave it an unimpressed look. Whilst she had no reservations against books like that, it did seem to be the most stereotypically Asgardian book ever.

"Try these." He said, pulling two books out from beside a shelf further along.

He held them out to her. She looked at them sceptically before turning her suspicious look on him.

He exhaled softly in amusement. "I assure you these were not a gift from Fandral."

"Yeah, but I have no assurances for your personal tastes either." She said, taking the books. "For all I know it's the Asgardian equivalent of a My Little Pony catalogue or a Ruling The World For Dummies book."

She turned the top book over in her hands. The thicker of the two, it was bound in thick leather and the pages were thicker than any book on Earth. There was no blurb so she slowly flicked through a couple of pages while Loki looked on, almost as though he cared for her approval on them.

"A political drama?" She asked, smiling slightly.

"You studied something similar did you not?" He asked.

She blinked at him. That was oddly thoughtful. "Yeah but…I didn't think you'd remember that. Thanks."

He nodded at the other book and Darcy turned to it. It was considerably smaller like an average paperback, not bound like the others but in a thin skin tied with ropes. From the state of the cover and pages it was one that had been read many times. After a brief look through it seemed like the account of some discoverer or something.

Not quite what Darcy would usually go for, but it was better than orgies.

"And no hardcore sex in here?" She asked. Not that she particularly minded sex in books (okay so it was quite nice at times) but Asgardian authors made EL James look great in that regard.

"No." He smiled reassuringly.

She walked over to his bed and sat down on it, not particularly caring of any implications that might have because she was in jeans and a sweater and she wasn't sexy enough to allure anyone just sat in that.

"Where did you even start reading?" She asked. "Because I can't imagine Odin encouraging literary prowess."

Loki's lips tightened slightly at the mention of Odin. "No, not quite. His tales were always of war and spoken from either experience or word of mouth. I believe it was the closest he came to attempting to teach Thor and I moral behaviour."

She smirked. "Okay come on, he's a douche but that bad?"

"Let us say it is no coincidence that Thor was banished to Midgard for attempted genocide and I…well I believe my acts are fairly self-evident." Loki said.

"Okay, but you used to be the good one. Well mischievous but not, like, genocidal. Right?" Darcy asked.

"I spent more time with my mother." Loki said in answer. "She read with me as well as teaching me magic."

Loki looked away, and Darcy remembered that Frigga had died. Jane had gone to the funeral. She hadn't mentioned whether Loki had been there too, but surely they would have escorted him out of the dungeons for that? The way he spoke of his mother, the sudden tension his limbs…they couldn't argue he didn't at least deserve to be present for her funeral?

A tightness in her throat told her she already knew the answer. She felt her eyes water but she blinked the semblance of tears away. She knew little, really, of Loki but she knew he would not appreciate tears shed on his behalf. Would not want her pity.

"She sounds like she was amazing." Darcy said truthfully. "Everyone loves her, I haven't heard one bad thing said about her."

"She was," Loki said, turning back to her, not looking at her but at least facing her general direction. A sad smile was on his lips and she just wanted to hug him but there was still a slight chance he hadn't changed as much as Jane's account of Svartalfheim had made her believe. In which case, she'd probably be rewarded for her hug with a knife in her back.

"Tell me about her." Darcy suggested quietly. She couldn't help but believe it would help his grief yet at the same time she did not think he would deem her, a mere mortal, worthy of hearing about the one person he clearly still loved.

Well, Thor as well, if his last words could be believed, but given that he was standing in front of her rather than, well, dead, she could not help but regard those words doubtfully.

He hesitated a moment before taking a deep breath. "Very well." He said.

He spoke for a long time, telling her memories of Frigga that made Darcy periodically smile in happiness at the memories he was telling her, or fight back tears at the fact he no longer had the one person in the world he seemed to care for.

A few hours later, he was silent. "What of you?" He asked.

"Excuse me?" Darcy asked, unsure what he was asking.

"Your parents. Do you like them?" He asked.

Darcy smirked. "Curious about the mortal?"

"More…intrigued." He said.

"They're synonyms, asshole. Accept that you are interested." Darcy grinned.

"You do not have to tell me." Loki said. She could tell that while he was curious he wasn't interested enough to pursue the topic.

Darcy sighed. "Fine. Well I like both my parents. My mom's kind of like me in terms of personality but she's also super smart and really into science. My dad died a few years ago in Afghanistan."

"Afghanistan?" Loki asked. "That is familiar…"

"It's a war that was still going on when you invaded." She was a little uncomfortable bringing that up. It wasn't that she'd forgiven him for it, more just avoided thinking about it because it was so confusing.

Loki nodded. "He was a soldier?"

"A doctor." Darcy said, looking away. She didn't talk about her dad much. It wasn't that it was too painful it was just that she knew him. How could she give anyone else a picture of who he was when they'd never known him? But then again Loki had done it for her. "He wasn't even supposed to be there but there was some emergency and…it was a bomb in the road. He wasn't in the centre of the explosion but the shrapnel and stuff…"

She certainly didn't like thinking about his death. The fact he was a military doctor really didn't say much about him but that's all anyone ever really cared about.

"He was great." She said suddenly. "I mean, people get romanticised when they die. I'm not saying he was perfect. He made sexist comments sometimes, like if I ever had a boyfriend he got all possessive, wanting to meet them like who I date was his choice. And he was kind of arrogant, always thinking he knew best. Oh, and don't get me started on me telling him I was bi, he told me I had to choose and that it wasn't a thing. But he was really kind and when he wasn't stationed abroad, he was always there for me like every spare second he had he wanted to spend with me and…"

She trailed off, suddenly realising that Loki probably didn't care.

But to her surprise, he looked slightly enraptured by her talking.

"You do not have to stop." Loki said. "You listened about Frigga, I would not deny you the opportunity to talk about your own lost parent."

"Nah it's okay, it's boring." Darcy said.

"On the contrary. It is quite interesting seeing you lost in thought and memories." He said.

She had to hide her smile, or Loki would realise he had said something nice and try to make up for it with thirty or so mean comments.

"Okay." She said. And told him.

* * *

 

"Oh my god, no way!" Darcy said in between fits of hysterics.

"Yes, and I assure you, he did look rather fetching in the bride's gown." Loki replied, smiling widely.

"And they just didn't realise it was Thor rather than the goddess of beauty?" Darcy asked, unable to understand how they could make that mistake.

"Well he  _was_  wearing a veil…" Loki said.

"He's made of muscle! And just…I cannot with this story…you are so lying." Darcy said.

Loki smiled. "I believe Thor wishes I were. Actually I wish I were, the image of him in that dress was, in truth, scarring." Loki winced. "But yes, giants do not have the best eye sight. Either way once he was in he was able to use Mjolnir to kill everyone once again saving people by hitting things. He is very skilled at it."

Darcy glared at him. "Don't belittle Thor because you're jealous of his dress."

"Well, it was a very pretty dress." Loki joked.

"And you weren't a bridesmaid?" Darcy asked.

"No, the Midgardians made that part up. Apparently no tale in which someone does something laughable is allowed, unless I am there to do something just as bad if not worse." Loki said.

"So you haven't cross dressed?"

"That is not what you asked." Loki said.

"Wait what?" She asked.

Loki grinned. "A tale, I think, for another time, Miss Lewis."

* * *

 

"And yeah. Then I got into Berkeley, and I think everyone I knew died of shock." Loki looked at her in confusion. He was sat on a chair by a desk across the room from her standard position sitting on his bed. "It's a really good college. Especially for political science." She shrugged. "I'm not exactly considered the smartest, but I guess my essays must have just been really passionate or something."

"Why?" Loki asked.

She narrowed her eyes slightly in trepidation, unsure if he was leading to an insult or not.

"I mean no offense," He said. "I am simply curious. Why are you so interested in politics?"

Darcy shrugged. She knew perfectly well why she was so interested, but it bored people so she tried to play it cool. "It's kind of hard not to be, living in America. Most of the people in government are idiots. And I'm tired of old white men thinking their opinions are the be all and end all on a subject. And they pass those opinions onto their kids, so I had a lot of jerks in high school telling me to shut up and go make them a sandwich. Like I know that's not directly related to politics, but I was annoyed and felt like I had a voice that deserved to be heard."

"And you have not stopped talking ever since." Loki smiled. Darcy contemplated the notion of throwing another pillow at him.

"And besides, the degree has the word science in so my mom was pleased." Darcy said.

"Your mother?" Loki asked.

"Yeah, she's a big scientist on Earth." Darcy said, not really wanting to talk about her mom because then she'd start worrying about her. "She's the reason I got the internship with Jane."

"You are no scientist?" Loki asked.

Darcy laughed. "Oh hell no. I am only good for getting coffee. I think the only time I'm helpful is when I point out the obvious, Jane always looks for some complex solution to things and normally omits the 'well they could be gods' explanation that it is my job to provide."

"Yet you are still interning for her." Loki pointed out.

"Yeah well, she's like family. Her and Erik. Oh yeah, I'm supposed to hate you for Erik. You saved Jane but your glowy stick thing really fucked with his head. While Jane was on Asgard in pretty dresses attending balls all while battling some ancient energy that was slowly killing her, I was bailing Erik out of prison for streaking nude across stone henge." Darcy said.

"We have established your lack of wisdom in not hating me, I believe." Loki said.

Darcy rolled her eyes. "We aren't starting that again. Just apologise for Erik."

He looked at her in a way that made it clear that was never going to happen.

She threw herself backwards on Loki's bed so she was lying staring at his ceiling and sighed. "Maybe one day…"

* * *

 

"Oh my God, that book." Darcy said, walking into the library.

Guard Loki looked up as she entered, eyebrows furrowing. "Which one?"

"This." She said, waving the smaller one. "I just finished it and I…just wow."

Loki nodded understandably. "Yes, it is one of my favourites."

Darcy wasn't even going to think about the fact he'd given her one of his favourite books to read.

"It's like poetry, the way it's written. I haven't read something that beautiful since The Great Gatsby." Darcy rushed to explain. Sometimes you just read a book and felt the need to scream about it and sometimes it was so good you needed someone else to listen. "And just the mind set of Tyr like you are aware that he is wrong but you're also on his side? And the symbolism of the…just wow."

This was high praise from Darcy. She normally didn't give a fuck about writing devices like symbolism, she liked well developed characters and witty dialogue which the other book Loki had given her had provided.

This one though…this was different. A book that once read had become a part of her like a memory that had changed her. Few books had done this to her before: The Bell Jar and The Perks of Being A Wallflower.

Oh and Harry Potter but that went without saying. Everyone loved Harry Potter or they'd never read the books.

"I need more books." Darcy said.

"You can go get some." Loki said, frowning at her. She'd barged into his room enough time that he probably didn't care, she thought.

"Nope, I need your recommendations again. Come on." She said.

And though he didn't want to leave the book he was reading he found himself following her, not even considering the fact that he was following her commands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Maybe Tonight by The Summer Set. Thanks for reviews. I'm doing nanowrimo so will hopefully get lots written for this. 
> 
> Please review.


	9. Your Little Mind Games

"You are leaving once more?" Erika asked as Darcy said goodbye and turned to leave.

"Yeah, I'm just going to wander the palace…maybe go read in the library." Loki hadn't been in the library today. Not that that was a first, but she still felt kind of sad that he hadn't been there, even when most days they just read in each other's company.

Erika gave her a thin lipped smile.

"What?" Darcy asked, eyebrows furrowing as she looked at the hand maiden.

"It is nothing." She said, smiling knowingly.

"Dude, what is it?" Darcy asked.

"It is simply that you are quite made up for simply wandering the palace." Erika said, gesturing to Darcy's carefully applied make up and curled hair.

What could she say? She liked to intimidate Loki. Evil dictator or not, he was a guy who liked girls, and more than once she'd caught him looking at her oddly, as though considering her as attractive but unable to understand how he could feel attraction to a mortal.

That or she'd just said something really weird.

Darcy grinned at Erika. "Yeah well, maybe I'll run into a hot Asgardian."

"Maybe it will be entirely accidental…" Erika said, still smiling. Darcy was glad she'd finally dropped the respectful servant attitude. She was a twenty three year old intern struggling through a mountain of debts from her student loans. She did not get a servant.

"You know me far too well." Darcy said. It was very truthful given that they'd been there less than a month. It was rather disconcerting that someone could get such a firm grasp on her character in such a short time.

"Are you sure that you will be warm enough?" Erika asked. Asgard was unusually cold at the moment and Erika didn't understand how clothes with multiple small holes in could be warm. Apparently knitwear did not exist on Asgard, and Darcy was yet to step up from her jeans and sweaters.

"I'll be fine. See you later." Darcy said as she slipped out of the door.

Darcy wandered round the palace for a bit before going to Loki's room, just to make sure no one was following her. Now that she was actually- what friends? Loki was definitely her friend but she didn't think she was his. She still got the impression he only tolerated her because she was the only one who knew who he was- anyway, whatever she was with him she liked him and had grown rather paranoid about him being thrown back into the dungeons.

Or worse because it was hardly a secret he was only alive because of Frigga and she wasn't here anymore. Not that Loki had said that of course. He'd talk about who Frigga was, sure, and tell of his exploits when he was younger but his relationship with Frigga? His feelings? Anything personal?

Hell would freeze over first.

She knocked on his door like she normally did. She waited, normally he answered pretty quickly.

She glanced down the hall, making sure there were no guards there or anything.

Then she heard the sound of the door opening.

"Hey." Darcy beamed in greeting.

"No." Loki said, voice flat. Darcy was about to roll her eyes and push past him. He started most of their conversations like this: cold and snide like he'd decided to make an effort to hate her again. It usually took her ten minutes tops to have him smirking and telling her stories about Thor being an idiotic puppy.

However, then he carried on. He shook his head slightly, eyes downcast. His inky hair was messier then usual and that was saying a heck of a lot. "No. Not today. Please."

 _Please?_  Holy fucking shit.

"Are you okay?" Darcy blurted immediately, her voice high in her concern.

"Yes." He said somewhat distractedly. Most of his face was shadowed by his hair as he looked down at her, so she couldn't see any change in his expression. "Just leave."

Darcy swallowed, glancing down the hall again. "Let's not do this here."

Before he could protest she had slipped past him, not pushed like she usually would.

She heard him exhale in annoyance. "What exactly is so difficult to understand?" He demanded.

He shut the door and rounded on her, head up and glaring at her in anger.

She tilted her head to the side, giving him the best unimpressed expression that she could muster. "What is so difficult about me being told to leave the minute I arrive? What's the matter?" She added softly because she knew something was wrong. This wasn't his usual him being an ass. It was him reverting to tried and tested tactics of getting people to hate him.

Darcy mentally rolled her eyes. Any fricking human could sense all this stuff, if the Asardians paid a bit more attention to each other rather than war maybe they could have sensed he was going off the edge. Like Thor had told her Loki was adopted and didn't handle the news well. She sensed there was something else but he hadn't told her. Either way that was surely enough. Well not enough to justify what he did but Thor had said it like he couldn't fathom how someone could possibly be upset at the news they were adopted.

"The matter?" Loki repeated with his eyebrows raised. "At this very moment it is you. Leave. Now."

"And can I ask why I am suddenly a problem when I haven't been for the past two weeks?" Darcy asked.

His lip curled nastily. "Two weeks of me tolerating you in the hope you would leave. Clearly that failed so I will be blunt. You are not wanted. Leave."

"Two weeks of you tolerating me? Yeah, because you were so welcoming at first. I'd say you're going back to being blunt. And for a God of lies you really are an awful liar. Now stop snapping at me, and tell me what the hell is wrong." Darcy said, her voice not rising once.

He was glaring at her in a way that made her think he was wishing for a magic sceptre to mind control her with. Probably because something was clearly wrong and mind control was the only way she'd leave him now.

"And if there were something wrong you would expect me to tell you? A mortal?" He asked derisively.

Darcy turned from him, walking across the room. "Oh, don't give me that 'mortal' nonsense. If you hated us as much as you claimed I wouldn't have caught you checking me out half a dozen times."

"One of the few uses of mortals." Loki continued in response. "However you are far too irritating for your breasts to redeem."

"Okay grumpy, first point," Darcy started, entirely done with his bullshit. "My breasts make up for anything. That's not debatable because they are fantastic. Second of all, do not start with the 'mortals are fine to fuck but not to talk to' nonsense because that would make you a hypocrite and we do not have to add that to your rather extensive list of character flaws. And third of all will you stop? You can insult me as much as you want Loki, it's not going to work. You're trying to get rid of me, I understand. Clearly I am not going anywhere, so give it up."

"Get out." He snarled. "Now."

She placed her hands on her hips. "What? I'm supposed to be scared of you now? Dude it's not going to happen. Stop."

His eyes fluttered shut for a few seconds and Darcy tried not to think how gorgeous he looked at that moment because a) he'd just insulted her a lot and b) this was clearly not the best moment.

He breathed in before he opened his eyes again. He didn't look happy but he also seemed resigned to the fact that she wasn't leaving.

Darcy covered the few steps between them, and gently reached out for his hand, intending to run her thumb reassuringly across his skin. However, at her touch, he yanked his hand back and stared at her in shock.

Darcy gulped. Maybe that was a more intimate gesture on Asgard?

However, instead of becoming angry, he winced like he had been reminded of some memory.

And Darcy knew it was awful that she was thinking about this at a time like now, but she couldn't help but wonder if he'd ever had someone, outside of family, that he had loved. Anyone who had taken his hand in such a gentle way before. Or perhaps it was someone in his family. Did Frigga perhaps hold his hand when he was younger to comfort him?

Either way she was certain there was some bad memory attached.

Loki turned away from her, walking to sit on the edge of his bed.

Darcy sat on the other side, swinging her legs on so she was sat cross legged facing him. Though he was sat facing the wall he was tilted to her so she took this as an invitation to conversation.

"You don't have to tell me." She said.

Loki's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"I mean, if you want to, I'm here for you. And you can tell me. But you don't have to if you don't want to."

"I do not understand why you care." Loki said, going to lie down on his bed and presumably sulk.

"Because I care about you." Darcy answered.

This made him pause in lying down so that he was sat facing her, just inches away.

His eyes locked on hers with hesitant fear. Afraid of her answer, but was he hoping for a confirmation or a denial?

"Why?" He asked.

Darcy frowned, uncertain of what he meant. Why did she care? Wasn't that a bit obvious?

She shrugged. "Because you're my friend. I know I irritate you, and I know you regret the day I wandered into your room." His expression didn't change. There was a part of her that had been hoping for a denial of these accusations. "But I like you." It felt rather odd saying stuff like this. Too cheesy and Hollywood but heaven only knew Loki needed it spelt out for him. "I like your sarcasm and your mischief and the fact you lend me awesome books and I like talking to you and I like you."

Loki said nothing but turned away from her, his expression unreadable.

"And yeah, I get it. To you I am just some annoying mortal. But I'm also the only one who knows you are even alive. Really if you wanted to talk to someone I'm kind of your best option."

Loki waited a moment before he spoke.

"You are not."

Darcy frowned in confusion. "Not your best option?" She was fairly certain she was given that anyone else seeing him would be like "AHH ZOMBIE/GHOST/VAMPIRE!"

"Not some annoying mortal." He corrected.

Darcy's heart beat accelerated ever so slightly. Was he being serious? Did he actually see her as a friend? Because from Loki that was like the biggest compliment ever. "I'm not?"

"No." He confirmed. Before bitterly adding. "And that is a problem."

Darcy leant closer, pecking him softly on the cheek before she even knew what she was doing.

It was only a quick kiss, on the cheek and over in a second, but Darcy felt a weightless, fluttery feeling take root in her stomach and spread out in all directions. She felt lightheaded in a way that didn't make sense for such a quick, insignificant kiss.

Was it just because she'd done something so risky? Kissing Loki (even though it barely counted, she'd done more when she was twelve) was surely not a clever thing to do?

It was only a kiss on his cheek but given how much she adored his cheekbones it felt so much more intimate than that.

She pulled away slowly, eyes on him warily desperate to see his reaction but he was staring at her, an odd look on his face. It took her a moment to realise what it was. He had liked the kiss, the contact of her lips on his skin and clearly wanted more.

And he hated himself for it.

Darcy's mouth felt very dry all of a sudden so she swallowed before speaking. "I don't see how that's a problem."

His jaw was tensed and he lifted his head slightly in contemplation. That was rude, his jawline and neck, his Adams apple…it was all too attractive for him to be presenting himself like that.

"Miss Lewis-" He said.

"No." Darcy interrupted, sudden worry flaring in her. "No, please don't 'Miss Lewis' me, Loki."

It was true that he'd never called her Darcy, only ever Miss Lewis but she'd found it endearing. Polite and somewhat invigorating like a Jane Austen novel.

But this sounded resigned, like it was going to send her lightheaded feeling crashing to the ground.

"I am afraid you may have been given the wrong impression-" He started again.

"Oh my god, no, stop." Darcy interrupted again, suppressing a smile. Shit she'd forgotten she was in Asgard. Was kissing here like a marriage proposal?

Then she remembered Fandral and the amount of girls he'd slept with so if that was the case he was world's biggest polygamist.

Still, she couldn't help but find it adorable that he had taken it that way. I mean sure she'd kissed him but it was hardly making out or a declaration of love.

"I definitely do not have the wrong impression." She said. "Like I said, before I didn't even think you liked me. As a friend." She hurried to explain. "Kissing on the cheek...it's purely platonic. I just…wanted to show you I cared for you I guess. I mean you're the liesmith. You of all people should know how fickle words can be."

He breathed deeply, Darcy could see his chest moving beneath the leather he wore.

She smiled at him softly. "I care for you Loki." She knew she was repeating it a lot but with Loki she felt she had to drive the message home.

"Well, don't." He answered, scowling.

"Too late." She replied.

"Stop." He said, standing up as though his proximity to her alone was too much.

"Stop what? Caring for you?" She asked. Did he not understand how that worked?

He turned on her, fury marring his featured. "Yes!" He snapped. "Have you not seen what happens to those who make that mistake?"

"Caring for you isn't a mistake Loki." Darcy answered, resisting a sigh. She couldn't have stumbled across a less temperamental God who was supposed to be dead could she? The tingly feeling was leaving and now she just felt tired of reassuring him. "Well except for the fact that it's kind of stupid because you're a dick most of the time."

"Then why do you?" He demanded. "If I am as awful as you claim, then why do you care? How foolish a mortal are you?"

"Just because you're an ass doesn't mean you're a bad person. I mean you've been alive four months now in secret and no one has died and only one government organisation has fallen so that's pretty good."

"You are an idiot." Loki said viciously.

Darcy felt her blood pump in anger, she could handle him being sullen and horrible but this was a vulnerability for her. She had enough scientists calling her stupid – not Jane or Erik though Erik had certainly said enough derogatory comments to exclude him from the exceptions- but particularly the ones they worked with who felt a degree in political science was the same level of academia as graduating middle school.

"You know, you're getting awfully wound up about me caring for you." She stated, standing up too to face him. "Which is odd because if you think I shouldn't so much, shouldn't you be laughing at my foolishness rather than getting angry about it?"

"I am merely pointing out the stupidity of your act." Loki said, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Well I think there's only one explanation for it." Darcy said.

"And that would be?" Loki asked.

"That you care for me too."

The silence that followed was almost palpable.

"Get out." He snarled viciously a moment later. He had paled.

"What, because you can't stand to face the truth?" She replied angrily.

She felt a sudden weight against her chest that pushed her against the wall.

"What the fuck are you doing?" She demanded.

"I have asked you to leave far too many times." He said, eyes narrowed at her.

He flicked his hand and that weight was suddenly behind her, pushing her so quickly towards the door that she didn't have time to glance at Loki before she was being shoved out of the door, which slammed shut behind her.

Furious, she turned back to it.

She yanked on the handle but it wouldn't budge. She turned on her side and started slamming her shoulder against the door.

It was locked tight.

"JERK!" She screamed at him, not caring who heard. Let them discover he was alive.

Because Loki was right. She was an idiot for caring for him. And she was going to rectify that at once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Hit Me Where It Hurts The Most by Every Avenue. Thanks for all your comments.


	10. Getting Heavy With The Devil

"Darcy, are you okay?" Jane asked, frowning over her lunch.

"Yeah." Darcy said. "I'm fine. Why?"

"You've just seemed kind of odd for the past few weeks. And especially so today." Jane said.

"Nah, I'm fine." Darcy replied adamantly.

"You  _have_ appeared rather distracted recently, Lady Darcy." Fandral said, agreeing with Jane.

"Maybe I've just got sick of seeing your face all the time." Darcy teased.

"Ha," Volstagg said, slapping her back proudly. "She is fine."

"Her common sense appears to be intact, at least." Sif said with a smirk.

"I disagree, this is clearly a sign of insanity." Fandral replied with a fake look of concern.

Darcy grinned. "You wish."

"Where were you last night anyway?" Jane asked. "I came to see if you wanted to watch this meteor shower with us, but I couldn't find you."

"I was in the library." Darcy said.

"I checked there." Jane said.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I have oft searched for you oft an evening." Fandral added, frowning at Darcy. "Where is it that you go?"

"Yeah, wouldn't you like to know, I'm certain your motives aren't as innocent as a meteor shower." Darcy said with an eye roll.

"You wound me." Fandral feigned being insulted.

"Anyway," Darcy carried on. "I just wander round the palace sometimes. Find different places to read and explore and stuff." It wasn't completely a lie because she did do this. It wasn't like she spent all of her time with Loki. "Last night I found this room that looked pretty quiet and nice, so I read there."

Thor sighed. "It is a shame you never were able to meet Loki. With the amount of reading you do, you would have gotten along well, I believe."

Darcy chewed her food slowly to give her time to formulate a response. The longer she spent with Loki, the harder it was to remember how she would be expected to react. Now however, it wasn't exactly hard to insult him. After all, he'd used magic as a club bouncer to kick her out, and that was just rude.

"Would that be before or after he called me a puny mortal, and commanded that I kneel for him?" Darcy enquired.

Thor frowned. "I meant before that. I doubt he did much reading during those days."

Darcy opened her mouth to insult Loki again, when a guard came up to them.

Darcy saw the gold and turned to glare, her mind automatically assuming it was Loki. It wasn't, however. Unless Loki was using a new guard disguise, which didn't really make sense.

"Sire," The guard nodded respectfully to Thor. "The All Father requests your immediate presence."

"Did he specify that I come alone?" Thor asked, standing up, his manner serious almost immediately.

Darcy felt a slight pang of longing for the cute Thor who smashed cups and smiled for facebook pictures. He hadn't changed that much but she wasn't really used to Wise-King Thor.

"He did not, sire." The guard said.

Thor looked at his friends and didn't even need to say anything before everyone but Jane and Darcy was stood up. Jane followed a split second later and Darcy, unsure of whether she was invited or not just tagged on the end.

They walked into the throne room where Darcy had met Odin for the first and only time. Thor took them through to a side room which made Darcy immediately think "war room" because of the large table in the centre that she could imagine holding a map and army figures to push around.

Odin stood on the other side of the table, and nodded to Thor as he walked in as well as the other Asgardians. He frowned slightly at the sight of Jane and Darcy, but said nothing, evidently deciding that whilst he did not think mortals deserved to be here they were also not important enough to make a fuss about.

Darcy had to refrain from rolling her eyes at him.

Then she thought of Loki and kind of wanted to like Odin just to spite him.

Even if Odin did make that hard.

"You summoned me." Thor said to his father.

Odin nodded, his expression set gravely. "This weather is not natural." He said, looking out of a window at the snow coated grounds of Asgard.

"Umm, it is rather odd, your majesty." Fandral said, clearly unsure of what else to say.

Thor took a less polite route, scowling at Odin in annoyed confusion. "Is that all you called me here to say? You said I was required urgently and-"

"My son, I am not being poetic. This weather is not a natural anomaly, but a forced one which starting on Midgard has spread throughout the nine realms, or so says Heimdall."

The annoyance fled Thor's face but the confusion remained. "I do not understand. How is that possible?"

Odin sighed. "The Frost Giants." He said.

Darcy didn't have a clue what a frost giant was but from the look on the Asgardians's faces they were something unpleasant and hated. Jane did not share their look but she clearly recognised the name, so it was just Darcy left clueless.

"The what?" She asked, before realising maybe she should have asked that later.

Odin glared at her as though he could not believe a foolish mortal had asked him so brazenly. So much for his attempt at hospitality when they had first arrived.

"The Jotuns of Jotenheim." Odin clarified, an edge to his voice that made Darcy want to infuriate him, because screw Loki, she really disliked Odin.

"Inventive name." She muttered.

Before Odin could snap at her Thor spoke. "The Jotuns have been relatively docile- at least to the other realms- for a millennia, why would they attempt this now?"

"Their lack of violence was not through choice." Odin said. "Without the Casket of Ancient Winters they lacked the power to reach the other realms."

"Then what has changed?" Thor asked.

Odin looked at him pointedly.

"That cannot be!" Sif said. "The casket is in the vault."

"Apparently," Odin said bitterly. "It can be. The weather was investigated when it started on Midgard. This morning the vault was searched. The casket was gone, a replica in its place."

"And none of the alarms triggered?" Fandral asked.

"No." Odin replied.

"But who could have done this." Thor asked.

Darcy had a pretty good idea who. Her fingers curled into involuntary fists.

"I do not know. But you are the only ones who know the casket has been returned to the Jotuns, for now we must keep it that way. The last war cost many lives, I do not wish to think of the panic the thought of another one might cause."

They all nodded.

"Thor, I would like you to lead a small group," Thor looked at his friends, who nodded. "To Jotunheim. Try to find out what happened to it but please be subtle."

Thor's jaw tightened slightly, obviously thinking that subtle interrogation was not his area of expertise but he nodded nonetheless.

"We shall leave immediately." Thor said and they all left.

In the throne room, Thor quickly said farewell to Jane and the Asgardians were gone in moments.

"This is bad." Jane said. "Really bad."

Darcy nodded. "Anyway, see you."

"Wait!" Jane called. "Where are you going?"

"Library." Darcy said, the word slipping to her lips immediately.

"What? Now?" Jane asked incredulously.

"Yeah..." Darcy said. "I want to read up on Frost Giants and this Casket of Ancient Winds-"

"Winters." Jane corrected.

"Yeah." Darcy said. "I mean I want to help and books are pretty much all I can do. It might give some clue of who has it." And this was all very true, in fact maybe Darcy would go to the library once she'd washed Loki's blood off.

"That's…that's a really good idea actually. I'll come too." Jane said.

"Wait, what?" Darcy asked, slightly alarmed. She wouldn't physically be able to go to Loki if Jane insisted on coming too.

"I'll come help," Jane said with a smile. "I have three degrees Darcy, it's not like I'm a stranger to libraries."

"Um….okay…well I'll meet you there, I just have to go get something from my room quickly." Darcy said.

"What is it you need to get?" Jane asked.

"Umm." Jesus, she was a bad liar, how did they not all know Loki was alive already? "Notebooks." She said. "You know, so we can make notes on the important stuff."

"Oh, good plan. I'll get some too." Jane said, walking to the door.

Darcy sighed in relief the moment Jane was gone.

Then she remembered that jerk of a God that was supposed to be fucking dead.

Of course it might not have been Loki but Darcy literally had no doubt in her mind.

And it would be easy enough to explain why she was late to Jane. She could just say she'd got into conversation with Erika or something.

So she marched straight up to Loki's room and barged in without knocking, only thinking when she saw him that there was a possibility he would not have been there.

"What are-" he began.

"It was you, wasn't it?" She hissed at him angrily.

"What was me?" He scowled, looking down at her with confusion. It was an expression that reminded her of Thor's from earlier.

"The Casket of Ancient Winters." Darcy spat.

"Ahh." Loki nodded, speaking nonchalantly. "So it has been discovered missing?"

Darcy grit her teeth, angry not even beginning to cover how she felt. What he had done was bad enough without him speaking of it so casually.

"Yes. It has." She said through her gritted teeth.

"It took them rather a long time." He stated, sounding rather disappointed with them.

"So when did you do it?" She demanded.

Loki shrugged. "The day I arrived back on Asgard."

"Wait, that'd be the day the Dark Elves attacked, right?" Darcy asked. "Holy shit that was months ago. How did you fucking manage that?"

Because angry as she was she couldn't help but be slightly impressed at how easily he had pulled this off.

He smirked. "It is rather easy to walk into the vault when you are the Allfather, I have found."

"You impersonated Odin? And it worked?" She asked. What if Odin had just wandered in?

"Well there was the slight distraction of Thor arriving. I believe I did rather a good impression of the All Father meaning that he raised no questions when he spoke to me." Loki said.

Darcy shook her head incredulously. "That's a lot of fucking effort for a casket." She said, all of her effort going into not screaming. "Why?"

Loki shrugged. "Just a bit of fun really."

Darcy felt her eyes narrow.

"'Just a bit of fun?'" She repeated in quiet anger. Her words were clipped with fury. "Fun is causing a realm-wide snow storm? Do you know how many people will have died in countries that weren't prepared? Homeless people? People who can't afford fuel? And that's just on Earth you fucking prick."

Loki's eyes flicked away from hers for a second, before they returned to hers. "Yes well, it would hardly be the first time I have been the cause of deaths."

It was taking everything she had not to slap him. She knew Jane would have by now but she'd been raised to believe that hitting people was always wrong. Her mom would probably agree this occasion warranted it but…

"You asshole." She spat. He was close to her now, barely inches away, looking down at her impassively like she wasn't screaming hate at him. Her lip curled in hatred.

"This is your fun? What the actual fuck is wrong with you, Loki? Jesus Christ! You don't feel anything? No regret? You are such a jerk! You fucking-"

She was cut off by his lips pressing firmly on hers.

Startled, she didn't respond, and he pulled his lips away smirking, though his hand was still on the small of her back where he'd pulled her closer. His lips had been surprisingly soft and she wondered distractedly whether he used chapstick or something.

Her lips tingled where he'd touched them, and the fluttery feeling was back, mixing with her anger and hatred so that she felt flustered.

"What the hell was that for?" She demanded because they were the first words that came to her.

Loki shrugged, smirking down at her in a way that left her wondering whether she wanted to smack the expression away, or kiss it. Goddammit it wasn't fair. She was trying to be angry- heck she was angry- and his hotness was ruining it.

"You are awfully beautiful when angry." He stated. "And I wanted you to stop talking."

Her mouth opened in slight shock at that, just compliment her before saying something like that? That jerk!

"Fuck you." She hissed, grabbing handfuls of his leather clothes and yanking his face back to hers.

She turned at the same time, pushing him up against the wall.

His lips were closed for only a split-second, before they opened against hers, responding immediately. Her tongue flicked into his mouth, running gently across the roof of his mouth while her lips pressed forcefully against his.

One of her hands had moved against the wall, while her other still clutched his clothes.

Meanwhile, his hand had gone to her waist, pulling her against him.

 _God, he was a good kisser_ , she thought angrily because he really, really didn't deserve to be. His tongue ran over her teeth and she felt like she might collapse in his arms. Instead she ran her tongue gently over his lip before biting it, causing him to moan against her.

Her hand that had gripped his clothes moved to entangle in his hair, the strands silky soft between her fingers.

She kissed him for what felt like hours- glorious hours- before her lips moved away from his, across his jaw and up to his cheeks because…oh, his fucking cheekbones.

And then further down, she kissed his neck, and he arched it under her like he wanted to show off his perfect bone structure even more, but she wasn't looking at his jaw. There was a spot on his neck which caused him to shiver when she kissed it so she went further, pressing hard kisses there, sucking and gently biting before running her tongue over it and he inhaled sharply in pleasure.

"Darcy," He moaned against her.

"Shut the fuck up." She told him, because she was so angry, and he was so hot, and the last thing she needed right now was him talking.

When she finished, the skin was already purpling. He was going to have one hell of a hickey.

She pulled him away from the wall, wanting more and kind of liking pushing him around.

He seemed to be pretty into it as well, because it wasn't like he was protesting.

She pushed him onto his bed, not thinking about that time she'd kissed him on it because that was far too emotionally invested and this…well, there was nothing romantic about this at all. She just wanted to fuck him until he screamed her name.

She climbed on, straddling him where he sat and grabbing hold of his clothes again. She tore the leather coat off of him before staring at the rest.

"How the fuck do I get this off?" She asked.

He smirked at her. "You want it off?"

Her hands went into his hair again, this time pulling more aggressively because fuck it, he was a god and if it hurt, he deserved it anyway.

Her lips went back onto his, both of them kissing the other desperately. She could practically feel her lips swelling. She needed his touch, needed it everywhere.

When she couldn't take it anymore, she pulled away from him. His hands were on her waist, but hers still pinned down his shoulders.

"Now take your fucking clothes off." She demanded. She wanted his skin under her lips, her bare skin to be touched by his hands.

He grinned. Wow, who knew Loki, destroyer of worlds was into submissive sex.

His leather was gone in a quick flash of greenish light leaving only a green undershirt and soft trousers.

She arched an eyebrow. "I think I said off."

He smirked again, that same smirk that had her first kissing him. "Ladies first."

Darcy yanked her jumper off impatiently. If he wanted the rest off, then he could take it off himself.

"Now." She commanded but didn't wait for him to do it, and instead dragged him up so that she could pull the shirt over his head herself.

Her eyes widened at the sight of him. She'd been expecting skinniness from his slim frame and thick leather but- her finger trailed along the muscles appreciatively- he was pretty cut.

His hands went back to her waist, sending heat rushing where he touched her bare skin.

He grinned, eyes brimming with lust as he looked at her shirtless.

He didn't admire her long, instead pulling her closer, his fingers nimbly untying her bra with ease she didn't think any male ever had. He discarded of it, hands moving across her skin.

And normally Darcy didn't much care for guys touching her boobs but everywhere Loki touched left her skin aching for more. Her back arched, pushing against him.

His lips were on her then, kissing every inch of her exposed skin with reverence she didn't think he was even capable of. When he reached her hardened nipples, she couldn't help her nails from scratching down his back. As he placed one in his mouth, she involuntarily gasped, her nails digging in even more.

From there he moved up, kissing at her neck and collar bone, and she couldn't refrain from touching him herself any longer.

She pushed him away so that he fell onto his back. Before he could say anything she was kissing at his chest rapidly, not wanting to savour his touch because she was too desperate for it.

She moved downwards, kissing across the perfect v of his hip bones. His breathing was quick.

"Please." He gasped, shocking Darcy.

Well, if she had a god of mischief begging beneath her then no amount of anger at him would allow her to deny.

She pulled his remaining clothes off to the sound of fibres ripping, but Loki didn't care, taking the opportunity to take hers off too.

She went back to his hips, kissing along his skin closer to where he needed her but teasingly slow. As she got closer, she detoured going round to kiss his thighs. His fingers curled tightly into the bed sheets.

"Darcy," He begged again.

She smiled, okay he had been sufficiently punished, she thought.

She licked the length of him so teasingly slowly that he groaned in a mix of pleasure and agonised need. Deciding she'd teased him enough, she took him in her mouth and from the way he gasped in relief she thought he might come there and then. She moved against him slowly at first, tongue licking his slit before increasing her rhythm.

Her hands clutched at his hip bones and fuck, she'd never really enjoyed giving oral except for pleasing the other person, and Loki was a bastard, so it wasn't like she was particularly keen to please him. But his hands were in her hair, her hands on his hips, and he was making noises in that voice that was so silkily smooth it was almost orgasmic in itself.

She could tell he was practically on the verge of orgasm, and she wasn't having that- no he was going to have to wait for it. She went instead to swap her mouth for her hand but he caught her wrist.

"I think it only fair for me to repay the favour." He said.

"After what you've done, I think I deserve more than that." She answered, somewhat breathily.

He smiled and the sight made her stomach do flips.

"I believe that is fair." He said, taking her waist again and rolling so that he was on top.

He smiled once more at the sight of her, naked and beneath him before his fingers were between her legs and oh god, she could barely think.

He kissed at her stomach and breasts while his fingers moved in and out of her, occasionally circling her clit. She rocked her hips against him embarrassingly quickly but fuck it, he was good at this.

"So wet, Miss Lewis." He smirked, lifting his head to look down at her. "Who knew you liked me so much."

Darcy rolled her eyes. A new level of eye rolling, she thought, doing it while being fingered.

She reached up to grab his hair, thankful for its length and pulled him down closer.

"Shut. Up. Loki." She hissed. She had not intended to, but she had pushed him closer to where his fingers were and he took this as an order to change, which he hurriedly obliged to do, his tongue going to where his fingers had just been.

She gasped so loudly she was surprised guards didn't come running.

And she could practically feel his cocky smirk between her legs.

She wound her fingers in his hair, pulling tightly to tell him to stop smiling but it only worked to make him go deeper, his tongue hitting places she didn't even know were sensitive until touched by him.

"Holy shit." She said before she could stop herself, her breathing so quick she was soon panting. Dear God, he was fucking good at this. He couldn't have been doing it very long, but Darcy was practically shaking from pleasure.

"Okay…" She said. "Okay…Loki…I'm really not going to last much longer."

His tongue licked her clit once more before he moved away from her.

"If you keep panting like that, I'm afraid I won't either." He said.

"Urgh," She sighed, he was so fucking annoying this was not the time to talk. "Just fucking get in me."

The good thing about Loki was that, apparently, he did not have to be told twice.

She lay on the bed, him on top of her. He kissed her briefly before moving inside her.

She inhaled sharply as he moved, fingers scraping down his back before moving to his hair. Her fingers were entwined between the strands of his hair so tightly that had he been mortal, he would probably have been shouting in pain.

His hands rested either side of her as though to trap her in place, but she was hardly going anywhere. She was rocking against him just as enthusiastically as he was.

As he moved in and out, she saw him close his eyes from pleasure, and she had to move her hands from his hair to the back of his neck because she could feel she was on the edge, and she didn't want to rip strands out because there was no way she was going to-

She came not unexpectedly but shockingly, because she couldn't remember the last time she achieved an orgasm before the other person did. She sighed- or more yelped- against his chest, far more high pitched than any of her earlier moans.

She held onto him as her body shook with pleasure and the sight of her climaxing, the feel of her muscles spasming around him sent him over too. He came, spilling inside her before rolling off of her to avoid collapsing on top of her as he panted.

He had moaned deeply as he first came, but made no noise now other than deep panting.

Darcy was trying to regain her breath, her body still tingling from pleasure. She could feel everywhere his lips had been, everywhere his skin had touched like his lips were fire and she had been burnt.

But never had it felt so good.

His breathing slowed faster than she did, no doubt because of inhuman abilities of some sort.

Clearly being immortal allowed for practice, because damn.

His breath was still somewhat shaky when he spoke, however. "And here I believed mortal women were supposed to be fragile."

She laughed and hit him at the same time, still not quite ready to move yet.

This would be the part where she spooned for a while with gentle hugs and kisses, until they fell asleep or showered.

But it was Loki, so she doubted cuddles were involved, not that she wanted them because angry, lust filled sex did not usually warrant that.

And then, finally, it hit her.

She had just had sex with Loki.

_Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Going To Hell by The Pretty Reckless. Umm yeah...first ever smut scene so be nice...I just felt angry sex was a very loki/darcy thing to do. And yeah, the sexual tension was getting far too high in this fic. Also I cover it in the next chapter but no pregnancies okay? Just no.
> 
> Please Comment.


	11. Gravitate To Me

Even though the last thing Darcy wanted to be doing was moving, she found herself throwing her clothes on. How long had she been? Half an hour? More?

It wasn't like she'd hurried. If anything she'd done the opposite, drawing it out just to irritate him.

God, angry sex should not be a thing. It shouldn't be allowed. It should especially not be a thing when she was supposed to be meeting Jane.

"Miss Foster will still be there when you arrive, I am sure." Loki said, still lying lazily on the bed, and making no effort to get dressed again.

Darcy was determined not to look at him. Firstly because she felt kind of guilty about what they'd done. Secondly, because she feared one look at his cheekbones or muscular chest would have her yearning to do it again.

Well, at least she didn't have to worry about him telling anyone. She thought they might be a bit too busy being like "holy fuck you're alive?!" to be like "you did  _what_  with  _who_?"

"Yes," Darcy said, grimacing as she caught sight of herself in a mirror. "And I shall explain that my hair looks like this because?"

He predictably did not answer.

Darcy walked to the door.

"I feel so very used." He smirked.

Darcy narrowed her eyes at him. Awesome sex or not, she was still angry. "Your options were that, or being killed. I'd be happy with feeling used if I were you." She said, leaving before he could reply.

Darcy ran to her room, startling Erika who was changing the bed sheets.

"Is there any way you can make my hair not look like I just had very angry sex?" Darcy asked, not wasting any time with greetings.

Erika gaped but recovered quickly. "Umm, I shall try."

Darcy sat down and Erika grabbed products. "May I ask who?" Erika said as she tried to get a brush through Darcy's hair.

"Oh, just this guard." Darcy said.

Erika smirked. "The one you sit with in the library?"

"How did you-"

"Servants talk." Erika answered. "And this palace is full of them."

"Right well, can we agree no talking near Jane?" Darcy asked.

Erika nodded. "I would not dream of it. As for your hair…I feel you would have to bathe and-"

"Oh God, I don't have time for that." Darcy said. "Okay I'll just have to tie it up and hope for the best."

Erika nodded as Darcy pulled her hair into a ponytail.

"Is there anything else?" She asked.

"No I'm go- wait, I have a question. I'm on the pill. It's a contraceptive." Darcy explained at her look of confusion. "But I run out of pills in a couple of days. Is there some Asgardian version, or do I have to ask Heimdall to send me to Earth?"

"There is a potion." Erika said. "It shall work for a year before you need more. Would you like me to obtain you some?"

"Yes please. Wait it is safe for humans, right?" Darcy checked.

"Yes, many Asgardians have used it on their mortal partners. It is completely effective and protects from ailments as well." Erika said.

"Damn, Earth needs that. Okay I have to go, but thank you, and pleeeeeaaaase don't tell anyone." Darcy pleaded.

Erika smiled. "Of course not."

Darcy grabbed a notebook and ran.

As she reached the library she saw Jane was sat with a book open, reading.

She glanced up as Darcy entered and gave her a very judgemental look.

"Oh good. I was just about to send out the search parties." Jane said.

"Sorry, I got caught up." Darcy said.

"Mmhmm. So I've heard." Jane said, smirking.

Shit. "Uh what?"

"Well, I ran into some people talking. They apparently saw you running to your room with hair that suggested you'd been dragged backwards through a bush. Not to mention, Darce, that your sweater is currently on inside out." Jane said.

Fuck. Darcy silently cursed Erika for not telling her about the sweater, but then again, Earth clothing confused her. She probably didn't notice anything was different.

"Shit." Darcy said, sitting down opposite the table and letting her head fall onto the table top.

"So who are they?" Jane asked. Darcy could practically hear her cockiness at having caught Darcy out.

Darcy sighed, face still pressing against the table. "A guard."

"Guy or girl?" Jane asked.

"Guy." Darcy replied.

"What's his name?" Jane asked.

"Does it matter?" Darcy asked, lifting her head up to frown at Jane. She placed her hands on the desk and instead rested her head on them.

"Well, I want details!" Jane practically squealed.

"I thought you didn't care for stuff like that." Darcy said.

"Well, I don't when it's people talking about other people but I care when it's you. And God only knows you needed to get some, you haven't been with anyone since Ian, right?" Jane said.

"Yeah." Darcy said. And she did have to admit. She kind of wanted to talk about it. She sighed, resigning herself to telling Jane some semblance of the truth. "I ran into him on the way to my room and we were talking, and he said that it didn't really matter about the casket-"

"Wait, you aren't supposed to tell!" Jane said, eyes wide in horror.

Darcy shook her head. "He already knew, someone must have told him." Jane didn't look pacified but Darcy continued heedlessly. "Anyway, so I started getting angry and shouting at him, and he was just smirking, which was just making me angrier, and then halfway through insulting him, he kissed me and I was like 'what the hell was that for?' and he was like 'you are beautiful angry' or something and then 'and I wanted you to stop talking' so I was like 'fuck you' and kind of shoved him against the wall and snogged him." Darcy said.

"Snogged?" Jane suppressed a laugh.

"Urgh, too long in England. That word is so gross." Darcy said.

"Only you would 'snog' someone who says stuff like that." Jane said.

Darcy shrugged. "He's really hot and the sexual tension…anyway it was really just…wow. I gave him world's biggest hickey and dear God Jane his tongue, I can't."

"So it was good?" Jane asked, laughing.

"Very much so." Darcy said, smiling at the memory.

"Oh," A voice said at the door. "My apologies, I did not realise you had company."

Darcy's mouth began to open in shock, before her expression turned to irritation. It was Loki in guard form.

"Oh, it's fine." Jane said. "We're just reading."

Loki nodded and walked over to sit next to Darcy.

Darcy kicked him under the table, and glared at him from the corner of her eyes.

"I'm Jane by the-" Jane stopped talking as she instead stared at him in a mixture of surprise and shock.

Darcy turned, worried. Had he turned back to Loki?

And then her breath caught in her throat as she turned and saw what it was that had caused Jane's reaction.

A love bite. On the side of his neck.

And Darcy was under no illusion that he was unable to cover that as he transformed, so he had left it there on purpose. And Darcy wanted to kill him.

He smiled politely at Jane. "Is there a problem?"

"Wha- no. No problem. None at all." Jane stuttered.

 _Smooth_ , Darcy thought with an eye roll.

"And why are you here?" Darcy turned on him, eyes narrowed slightly even though she tried not to.

He feigned confusion. "Why, to read of course."

"Where's your book?" Darcy demanded.

"Here." He said, frowning at her as he pulled out a book from a pocket. "And why are you here?"

"To read." She answered.

He looked pointedly at the empty space in front of her. She glared at him, trying to tell him to leave with her eyes.

"It appeared to be more talking to me." He smirked. "Might I ask what about?"

Fine. He wanted to make her uncomfortable? Two could play at this game.

"Jane, this is the guy I fucked about ten minutes ago." She said bluntly.

"Uh what?" Jane asked, clearly flustered.

"Yeah, I was going to tell you." Darcy said. "But he honestly wasn't that great so…"

Loki turned to her eyebrows raised in a way that clearly showed he was unimpressed with her attempts.

"That is not what you said at the time…" He said, smirking.

"Really?" Darcy queried. "Then perhaps you ought to enlighten me. What did I say?"

"Well, it was less words than begging, if I recall correctly." Loki said.

"Well, clearly you don't recall correctly because it was actually the other way round." Darcy said, tilting her head to the side.

"You are mistaken." He answered.

"I am? So you did not say ' _Darcy,_ '" She imitated his moans, her voice ridiculously pained and desperate sounding. "' _Darcy please_ ' oh and I might add that that is the first time you've ever actually said my name, so I clearly did something to you." She poked him in the chest.

His lips had tightened, but the smirk was still in place. "Perhaps, but that was certainly nothing compared to your reaction, when my tongue was in your-"

"OKAY!" Jane shrieked, jumping up.

Darcy turned to the woman in surprise. She had kind of forgotten that she was there.

"That's enough." Jane carried on. "I'm leaving. You two try not to either kill each other or…yeah I think you know what."

She grabbed her book and ran out of the door.

The moment she was gone Darcy started laughing. Loki was grinning rather widely too.

"Okay, that shouldn't have been that much fun." Darcy said, gasping for breath.

"I had no idea toying with mortals was quite that much fun." Loki said, grin still in place.

"And I had no idea you were quite that good at lying. I mean I know you're the god of lies and everything, but you almost had me believing that I enjoyed it more." Darcy said.

His eyebrow lifted. "That was entirely truthful, and I have the scratch marks on my back to prove it."

Darcy smirked at him. "Yeah okay honey, don't flatter yourself. You're good with your tongue, I'll give you that but otherwise?" She shrugged. "Meh."

" _Meh?_ " He repeated.

"Yeah." She smiled. "I mean it was fun, don't worry but come on. Hardly the best sex in the world."

"Excuse me?" He asked.

Darcy had to bite her tongue to stop from laughing. "And you were so whiny as well. I mean, look, I know everyone thinks you're dead so it's clearly been a while but I don't think I've ever met anyone more desperate for me to suck their dick."

His forehead crinkled as his eyebrows wrinkled. "Desperate? Me?"

Darcy nodded. "Don't worry," She said patronisingly. "A bit more practice and you could actually be alright."

"Alright?" He repeated, voice sounding hollow.

And then she couldn't hold it in anymore, the laughter burst out of her, because really, was there anything funnier than making a guy doubt their skills in bed?

He seemed to realise he'd been completely played because he glared at her. "You are an infuriating mortal."

"That's not what you were saying half an hour ago." She practically sang, laughing. "And besides, you totally deserved that! What were you thinking coming in here when Jane was here?"

"I believe you know what I was thinking." Loki replied.

"Yeah annoying Jane whilst annoying me. Hilarious. And that mark," She waved her hands at it. "I know you could hide that but instead you're strutting around like it's a badge of honour."

His eyebrows furrowed. "I do not 'strut.'"

"Dude, you totally strut. Especially when in leather."

"Well," He smirked. "The mark was obtained rather pleasantly, I would like to remember it."

"Hmm well, maybe it won't be the last." She grinned at him flirtatiously before remembering that it was Loki and. She. Should. Not. Be. Flirting. With. Him.

"No?" He asked, looking at her half appraisingly and half with desire.

"Hmm, we'll see." She grinned, grabbing the books from Jane's pile and walking out of the room, fully aware that he was watching her leave for the second time that day.

* * *

"Shouldn't they be back by now?" Jane asked anxiously. "I feel like they should be back by now."

"You can handle two years but not one night?" Darcy asked.

Jane glared at her.

"Well you didn't really  _handle_  the two years,  _per se_ …"

"Darcy," Jane whined.

For the first time in Darcy's life, she relented. Maybe it was because she knew who had stolen the casket, so she felt kind of involved in the reason Thor was gone, but she was definitely feeling that his absence was a sore topic for Jane.

"Look, if you're that worried, why don't we go down to Heimdall? Maybe he could give us an update on how he is doing?" Darcy suggested.

"Hmm, maybe." Jane said. Darcy could tell that Jane really wanted to, but didn't want to seem desperate going to Heimdall after only a day.

"We can make it look casual." Darcy added.

"Okay, let's go." Jane said.

They probably could have got horses from the stables, but seeing as Darcy's only experience riding was what Sif, Fandral and Volstagg had tried to teach her (none of them were particularly good teachers), they decided just to walk.

After all, the only other thing they could be doing was reading, and Darcy knew who'd taken the casket, so she didn't need to search for some ulterior motive for wanting it.

It took them about an hour to reach the observation room.

"Miss Lewis," He nodded in greeting, eyes glittering the smile that his lips did not show. "Miss Foster." He nodded to Jane. "I have been expecting you."

"That doesn't really work unless you're spinning round on a swivel chair with an evil looking cat on your lap." Darcy said.

"Darcy…" Jane said in that somewhat irritated voice again.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. There's no such thing as an evil looking cat." Darcy added.

Jane breathed the kind of irritated inhalation that Darcy received in response to a surprising amount of her comments. These people really needed to start appreciating how hilarious she was.

Then again, Jane's kind of joke was more science related and as she was  _constantly_  telling Darcy, all the good ones argon.

"Have you heard or seen anything?" Jane asked, pulling Darcy out of thinking about that Higgs-Boson particle joke that Darcy still didn't understand.

"Rest assured, they are quite safe." Heimdall said.

Darcy saw the subtle release of tension on Jane's face.

"Currently they reside with an ally on Jotunheim. They are seeking the one who found the casket. If nothing keeps them they ought to return in a few days." Heimdall said.

Jane nodded.

"What about Earth?" Darcy asked.

Heimdall looked at her in confusion. "What is it about Midgard you wish to know?"

"Well, you know, has the cold got worse? Has anything else happened?" Darcy asked.

"As the weather has spread through the realms, it has remained constant. If the casket cannot be found, I expect it will get worse." Heimdall told her. "Other than that, the usual political disputes, wars and famine that plagues Midgard, exacerbated by the weather." He said like he was simply commenting on, well, the weather.

"And there was a rare eclipse less than ten minutes ago."

"Dammit!" Jane said, hitting her forehead. "I can't believe I forgot about that! It only happens once every five hundred and thirty seven years!"

"Well, there's always the next one." Darcy said, confused as to how Jane seemed more perturbed by missing an eclipse than by what was happening on Earth.

They thanked Heimdall and left.

"They seem to have the casket situation under control." Jane said

"Umm, yeah?" Darcy agreed, unsure as to why Jane was saying stuff like that rather than worrying.

"So I guess it wouldn't be harmful if I studied whether the eclipse had any effect on Asgard?" Jane said. Ahh, that would be why she was asking.

"Nope, I don't think it would." Darcy said.

"Great." Jane said, scampering off to science the moment they arrived back.

Darcy figured she'd go get some more books from Loki's room. She'd finished her one yesterday morning but had been too annoyed to go get another one and then too…avoiding him.

But she'd be fine with seeing him now, she just needed a few hours of distance after that.

She went to his room and knocked, but there was no answer. That was odd, she thought, because she'd passed the library on her way here, and he hadn't been there. Darcy thought those were the only two places he visited.

Unless he was on guard duty trying to get information about the retrieval of the Casket of Ancient Winters.

Yeah, that was probably it.

Darcy pushed the door open, and walked to his wall of books. He wouldn't mind her taking a few books and even if he did what was he going to do about it?

Unlike most books on Earth, these rarely had titles printed on their spines so Darcy had to pull them out and examine them.

One at the edge looked familiar, but not one that she had read. She pulled it out curiously.

_Prophecies of The Great._

Ordinarily, she would have rolled her eyes and replaced it, but Loki had been reading it and it did sound somewhat intriguing.

Yeah, why not, she decided.

It would probably be hilarious if nothing else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Gravity by Hit The Lights. Well the last chapter had the best response of this fic, thank you all you dirty people. Nanowrimo and a fabulous Beta means another update yaaaaay. 
> 
> Please review.


	12. A List of Lies

Darcy didn't know what to make from the book. As a book, it was a little boring, she supposed, but she was having far too much fun.

Each page listed a different 'prophecy', which was basically a poem so bad that English teachers everywhere would cry at the forced rhyming that outlined each different story. They were also all rather vague and Darcy had fun imagining the different situations each one could have.

For example the first one:  _Five allies shall venture to the unknown, one shall perish on journey, another turn to stone, and then they shall return home.  
_

Darcy was literally laughing for five minutes at that one.

Seriously, she didn't know what was funniest. The fact that those four lines apparently deserved a page to themselves? That this was considered a prophecy of the great? The fact that venturing into the unknown just made her think "Space, the final frontier…"? Or the fact that the entire prophecy starts so ominously and oh no two people die and yeah, let's just go home? Talk about an anti-climax.

And then there were the prophecies that sounded a little too familiar for her liking.

Like this one: "The favoured son shall be banish'd, for the future of his land he must prevail, without him there lies only destruction ahead, else it is the bastard brother the land shall hail, both brothers must be presumed dead, though it is known the cursed one shall fail."

Once again, Darcy wanted to lecture the author of this book. Everyone knew there was more to a poem than a rhyme scheme. This guy didn't even have regular line lengths.

But still…crappy poetry aside didn't that tale (she really couldn't call it a prophecy. At all.) sound a bit like what happened to Thor? The favoured son banished, that would be him. And without him Loki would be in charge and Fandral had admitted he would have been a good king but it never would have happened. The land never would have accepted someone like him. Thor exhibited all the Asgardian virtues but Loki was too logical. There would have been too many riots and, well like the poem said "destruction ahead." And that "hail" could have a variety of meanings.

Both brothers presumed dead sounded like a filler line to fit the rhyme, but it had happened, Thor had sacrificed himself but instead regained his powers and Loki had taken a nice little jump off of rainbow road in true Mario Kart style.

No, there was one part that bothered her. "The cursed one." Because of what she knew of Loki's life it had sucked. Finding out you were adopted had to suck. Not enough to justify what he did but still. And what had happened to make him go from desperate-to-please prince to psychotic would-be dictator couldn't have been pleasant.

But cursed?

Darcy shook her head. She was being silly, reading stuff into what was essentially a bad poetry book. She would be sending Asgard some Cummings asap.

Or at least, that's what she thought. Until she reached the last one. Printed in large, embossed letters that stuck out from the page:

Ragnarök (A summary, for this prophecy only, due to high interest, the full printed prophecy shall follow)

When brother shall battle brother,  
When kinship shall dissolve,  
When turmoil shall reign,  
A son of foes will fall,  
And shall set in motion these events:  
A winter of three,  
The sun consumed and the moon vanquished,  
Odin's bane set free,  
The living ally the dead,  
The universe shall burn.  
And sink below the sea.  
Creation reversed.  
The final destiny of the Gods,  
is death.

Of course the structure still sucked, but the lack of stupid rhymes made it seem more real somehow. That, and the fact that this was Ragnarök. This prophecy sounded like utter bullshit but…Ragnarök was the Norse apocalypse. She'd read books about it.

And of course she knew that it was prophesied and everything- but that was just a myth!

And she realised how stupid it was ever to have believed that, because she was currently living on another planet with the very gods the myths depicted.

But then…the Norse gods were so two dimensional. All Thor did was whack things with his hammer but he wasn't like that, he was kind and caring and noble and a bunch of other things the myths never mentioned.

And Loki wasn't the mischievous imp they always pictured him to be. He was a guy with a tragic past and a messed up system of morality who loved his mother, and likes to read, and is really good at oral and….yeah, they never mentioned that in the myths.

They weren't the kind of people who would get involved with crap like that. They would try to make a deal with the giants or something-

The giants…three year winter…

 _No_ , she told herself firmly. No she was over thinking things.

It wasn't like the giants hadn't had the casket before. Hadn't they caused the ice ages with them (she prayed that wouldn't happen again)? Well that was no reason to think that Ragnarök was happening.

And besides, some son of foes was supposed to set everything in motion and if the casket was the three year winter then it was Loki who had started that.

Speaking of, she hadn't seen him in a few days.

Darcy turned to look for the full prophecy, and saw that it was pages and pages long, the print so small that she could barely read it. Part of it caught her eye, clearly from the first part of the summary:

Brothers will fight  
and kill each other,  
sisters' children  
will defile kinship.  
It is harsh in the world,  
whoredom rife  
—an axe age, a sword age  
—shields are riven—  
a wind age, a wolf age—  
before the world goes headlong.  
No man will have  
mercy on another.

She recognised that! It was from the Poetic Edda! Something like völva. She hadn't read the Poetic Edda or Prose Edda cover to cover but she had looked up a bit, Ragnarök included because hey, it was kind of important if the gods were real.

So this prophecy was…a universal thing? Something the people of Earth and the people of Asgard believed in?

Anyway, once Darcy finished the book she hadn't really thought about it. It sounded like a collection of conspiracy theories really.

She'd moved onto another one which focused on war but in more of a game of thrones way than the historical way the books of the Asgardian library did.

DARCY!" Jane yelled, running into the library, a huge smile on her face. "DARCY THOR'S BACK!"

Jane grabbed her arm and started trying to pull her out of the door.

"Woah woah woah! I'm coming okay, stop pulling me!"

Darcy started sprinting with Jane to the throne room.

As they burst through the doors they saw the others assembled in the middle of the room.

"Jane!" Thor's face lit up despite his obvious exhaustion.

He stepped forwards as Jane ran into his arms. He quickly enveloped her, his hand running through her hair.

Jane pulled away, her arms moving round his neck as she kissed him.

"Oh my god, get a room." Darcy said.

Sif looked at them in annoyance, Volstagg in amusement, and Fandral with pride.

"Okay I get that you haven't seen each other for a few days but is now really a great time?" Darcy tried again but their lips were still crashing into one another, coming apart only to breathe.

Darcy rolled her eyes, giving up her attempt for a few moments to survey the others. They looked exhausted. Their clothes were dirty and their hair a mess.

They all looked like they could do with a warm shower and hot food.

Then again, she supposed, at least they weren't bloody and injured. That was always promising.

A kind of sucking sound told them all that Thor and Jane had finally stopped snogging…kissing…making out- dammit, England.

"I missed you." Jane smiled, looking up at him. Her face was flushed and she looked slightly embarrassed at such a public display of affection.

"I had gathered as much." Thor grinned down at her. "And I missed you too. I assure you I would much rather have been here with you."

Jane paled slightly. "Did something happen-"

"I believe we may need to discuss this somewhere more private." Odin said as he walked into the room.

Thor stood up a little straighter in his father's presence.

Odin nodded to him. "I see you are at least home safely, more than I could have hoped for given the current standing with Jotunheim."

 _Then great parenting sending your son there_ , Darcy thought.

Thor nodded.

"Come," Odin said, walking past them to the war room. "Tell me all that has transpired."

They followed him in, all of them standing round the table.

Odin gestured for Thor to start.

"We landed in Jotunheim in Vidom's realm." Thor said. "It took a few hours for us to reach his castle where he assented to see us. We explained the situation to him."

"You explained the situation to him?" Odin asked, frowning at Thor. "Did he not already know?"

"I expect so. It seemed courteous to explain in full our reason for being there." Thor answered. "We told him we knew of the Casket's disappearance and knowledge that it was wielded by a Jotunn due to the havoc being wreaked across the nine realms, only a Frost Giant could utilise the casket. We asked if he knew anything of it."

"And?" Odin asked.

"He was aware that the Casket had been returned to Jotunheim and informed us that he had no issue with that being so." Thor said gravely.

"But did you not tell him of the use to which it was put?" Odin asked.

"Yes." Thor said. "I reminded him of this. He said that whilst he was adamant in the belief the casket belonged on Jotunheim, he was not happy about a leader of a rival tribe having it. When he found out about the casket being on Jotunheim he had sent many of his men out searching for it."

"Did they find anything?" Odin asked.

"They found the Frost Giant said to have found the casket." Thor said.

"Did you speak with him?" Odin asked.

Thor shook his head gravely. "He was a lone Frost Giant, no particularly great warrior. The moment it was known he held the casket…"

Thor trailed off not needing to say what followed.

"Yes, so he invited us to spend the night before continuing our search elsewhere. He was quite the hospitable host." Thor said. "In the morning he told us he had refrained from sharing information with us but had since ascertained that we were trustworthy." Thor glared at his companions. "And becoming intoxicated apparently convinced him we were not there with malicious intentions."

"You were hardly sober yourself." Fandral murmured back but clearly realised that with Odin present it wasn't exactly appropriate.

"What is it that he said?" Odin asked.

"He told us that the giant who discovered the casket was indeed dead but that he had not died as quickly as he had led us to believe. One of his men was able to talk to him first, but he had not returned since." Thor explained. "He did not know where the man was but told us of someone who may. We hearkened there immediately and after being directed in many places, a few fights and some interrogations we managed at last to find him."

"Frost Giants are loyal to their tribe's leader. Why did he not return?" Odin asked.

"I shall explain." Thor said. "He was hiding in an ice cave when we found him. He tried to fight us off but obviously soon realised he could not. It took us a while to get any information from him but we provided him with food and assured him no harm would come to him. He told us that he had not returned, because he feared his leader would not believe what it was he said and that he would be executed for lying to him." Thor said.

Odin frowned in a way that said he was wary of Thor's answer. "And what was it he said that could cause a reactions such as that? Surely it is evident that he would not be lying?"

"His answer could not be true." Thor said.

"Answer of who stole the Casket from the original Frost Giant?" Odin asked.

Thor's eyebrows furrowed. "The answer of who provided it."

 _SHIT_ , Darcy thought.  _No, no there was no way Loki would be so stupid as to not go in disguise.  
_

"Who was it?" Odin asked.

Darcy hands curled anxiously until her nails bit into her skin.

"Loki." Thor answered simply.

Fuck. She was afraid of that.

Then again, that fucker deserved it if he couldn't even be bothered to go in disguise. It was like he was asking to be caught.

Odin's expression hardened at the name.

"That's not possible." Jane said. Both her and Darcy had been quiet listening to Thor. They could ask their questions later. "He died. We  _saw_  him die."

"Yes." Thor nodded. "This was exactly why he did not think he would be believed.

"Well, maybe he meant something else." Darcy suggested. "Like maybe he meant Loki as a general name for a trickster or maybe he thought it was Loki because he was giving him the casket? And he'd been injured, right? So he might not have been thinking straight."

Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest. She knew of course that she should not be covering for Loki because stealing the casket was wrong but equally it didn't deserve being discovered alive and thrown in prison or worse.

"Thor, did you discover who has the casket now?" Odin asked like neither Jane nor Darcy had spoken.

Thor frowned. "No, we came immediately here. I thought you may wish to know this-"

"I do, it is simply that I must send an immediate group to Jotunheim to find it. It is imperative that we do not get distracted by this." Odin said.

Thor nodded. "However I do feel what Darcy said has some merit as an explanation."

"You do?" Darcy asked, confused.

He smiled at her. "Yes, I do."

"Yeah, see, he does." Darcy said, very nearly poking her tongue out at Odin.

"I can see no other explanation." Fandral said. "Loki is dead-"

"Excuse me, I must send the people to Jotunheim." Odin said leaving.

"What was all that about?" Jane asked, nodding at the door Odin had just left through.

"He does not like to be spoken to about Loki. It matters not what the Frost Giant meant, it brings us no closer to the casket. It was foolish for us to have returned, I just idiotically hoped…" Thor trailed off. Jane squeezed his hand and Darcy ignored the guilt she felt swelling in her. Thor was clinging to any hope that Loki may be alive and meanwhile she knew that to be the truth.

"You are not the only one who wishes Loki was alive." Fandral nodded to Thor as though in consolation.

Thor managed a weak nod in return.

"Yes he is." Sif said firmly. "You may miss Loki, but if he were alive, it would be nothing but trouble for us."

Thor opened his mouth to reply, but to Darcy's surprise it was Fandral who spoke. "Stop, Sif." He sounded sombre rather than his usual jokey self. Darcy wondered if Thor wasn't the only one who got their hopes up. "You may only ever have tolerated him," He turned to nod at Volstagg. "You and Hogun only ever accepted him, but he was my friend and Thor's brother. Were he here now, I admit it would not sadden me like it would you."

"Yes, until he sticks a knife in your back-" Sif started in reply.

"Both of you stop." Jane said. They looked at her in surprise as though they couldn't believe a mortal had set that to them. Kind of ridiculous given how long they'd been there but she supposed old habits die hard. "That's hardly important."

"Jane is right." Thor said. "What is important is what the giant meant."

"You just said it did not ma-" Fandral started but silenced at the glare Thor gave him.

Clearly Thor just wanted to change the topic but she supposed Fandral would be too oblivious to think of that.

"He could have meant a trickster." Jane listed. "Or an Asgardian criminal maybe?"

 _Someone crazily good in bed?_  Darcy added silently.

"Someone presumed dead?" Sif suggested.

"Maybe he simply meant someone of Asgard?" Thor said.

"Or he could mean someone of both worlds?" Fandral suggested. The others nodded.

"Wait what?" Darcy asked, not sure what that one meant.

"Loki was adopted." Thor explained.

"Yeah but how is he of both worlds?" Darcy asked.

"Loki is a Jotunn. A son of one of their leaders, Laufey, left to die but found by my father." Thor said. "He is of Jotunn descent, but of Asgaridan upbringing."

The room suddenly felt very hot.

"So they could have meant someone born on either Asgard or Jotunheim, but raised in the other?" Darcy faintly heard.

Because her mind was racing. Loki was a Frost Giant? And she didn't even have time to think about how that made his actions make a little bit more sense because lines were ringing in her head.

 _When brother shall battle brother, when kinship shall dissolve_ , Thor and Loki…didn't that make sense?

 _When turmoil shall reign_ , with New York, Hydra, the dark elves etc. there had been more battles in recent years than ever before.

 _A son of foes,_ Loki _…_ it had to be Loki. Son of both Jotunheim and Asgard, eternal foes.  _Shall fall,_  well which one to choose from. Literal from the bifrost? Symbolically from grace? Or his death?

 _And shall set in motion these events, winter that lasts years,_ Loki had stolen the casket…if this was it then he had literally set that in motion.

 _The sun consumed and the moon vanquished,_ and maybe she was reading into it a bit much but that eclipse?

 _Oh my god_ , she realised, she hadn't seen Loki since the eclipse- what if he was causing the next part?

And as more parts fell into place, Darcy had to physically stop from gasping.

Because Loki had read this book. He knew what he was doing.

Loki was causing the end of the world.

Loki was causing Ragnarök.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Stitches by Young Guns. *Peter Quill voice* WHY WOULD YOU DESTROY THE UNIVERSE WHEN YOU'RE ONE OF THE IDIOTS THAT LIVES IN IT?? Ahem, anyway, apologies for the poetry. As someone who writes poetry it pained me to write stuff that bad but I have a thing against prophecies so no way were they getting decent poetry, alas, Ragnarok has literally been prophecised no way around that one. 
> 
> Please Review


	13. Two More Miracles

Darcy managed to finally excuse herself from the conversation by claiming she felt ill. Given that she'd rapidly paled, and seemed rather dizzy, no one raised too many questions, just Thor asking if she needed a healer.

She'd replied that she just needed to lie down which she did, but she also needed to…what? Kill Loki? It wasn't anger she felt so much as confusion. He could do a lot of stuff that she wouldn't condone, but would at least make sense. Loki liked chaos, which was motivation enough. But why would he want to destroy the universe? He wouldn't be there to enjoy the results. Unless that was the point…he did kind of hate himself like a real fucking lot. But would he really be willing to go up in flames just to see the universe burn too?

No, what she wanted was answers.

She stumbled to his room in a kind of daze, after all it wasn't like this was an easy thing to take in.

Her lips were dry and she didn't even know what she'd say to him when she saw him.

She knocked because hey, why not be polite when accusing someone of trying to destroy the universe.

There was no answer and Darcy remembered that she hadn't seen him in a couple of days.

 _Oh my God_ , she thought suddenly,  _what if he's causing the next bit of that prophecy?_

What was it? Odin's bane freed? Her stomach twisted at the thought. Anything that was Odin's bane she didn't want to meet. He'd better not be freeing it.

She slipped into his room anyway, thinking that maybe there might be something in there that would give her a clue to the exact things he was doing and then maybe she would be able to stop him.

His room had a deserted feel to it, like he hadn't been there in a while. It confirmed Darcy's suspicion that she hadn't just not seen him, but that he wasn't here to be seen.

She walked first to the pages littering the floor and walls.

She hadn't really paid much attention to them before. She'd asked him and he said that before the common tongue was discovered- the language they spoke apparently translated into the first language of any listener in their minds (with attractive English accent included, apparently)- languages were dependent on what was being said. So there was a language for conversation, and a language for war and stuff which Darcy said was stupid but Loki argued it kept things secret from those who were not intended to hear, as they hadn't learnt the language. Darcy replied that it was stupid. That time Loki simply shrugged.

Anyway, that was long before even Odin was born, but magic wouldn't work without the language of magic and Loki had to think in this language until it became instinctive, the words like training wheels until you didn't need them.

Loki had kept the pages because Frigga wrote them.

Or at least that's what he'd said. Maybe they were in depth details of his plan for universe wide destruction all written in a complex code.

Darcy bent down to pick up a sheet before remembering how Loki had said there were more under the bed. Surely he would keep the plans out of sight.

She had to lie down to reach the box at which point she heard someone stumble into the room.

Instinctively she rolled under the bed, not wanting someone to ask why she was in Loki's room. And if it was Loki she didn't want him to know she'd been snooping around.

Whoever it was they were breathing heavily.

"Either a wound is infected and I am hallucinating," Loki said, voice strained as though irritated. "Or you have seen fit to visit. Again."

Darcy's breath caught in her throat, her stomach tightening. Was he talking to her? How had he known?

Before she could ponder replying, however, another voice spoke. "Well I'd say it's probably a bit of both right now." The voice said. It was feminine and enunciated each word carefully like they were some upper class aristocrat, a feeling reinforced by the snide tone. However, underneath it was a noise like teeth grinding. "One of those is no simple cut. I imagine it is causing you a lot of pain." She didn't sound like she particularly cared.

"What gave it away?" Loki said tersely, standing to the side of the bed. He sounded like he was in pain and Darcy found herself wanting to kill this bitch, who obviously didn't give a damn. "I imagine it will not kill me."

"Of course not." The woman snapped. "Now did you get it done, or did you simply offer your services as a scratching post?"

"It is done." Loki answered through clearly gritted teeth. Wait? What was done? Releasing Odin's bane? Was this woman an accomplice?

"Hmmm, I had hoped you would do a better job." The woman sounded disappointed.

"The beast is free. That is all that concerns you." Loki answered. He sounded like just speaking was an effort at this point.

"Well I wouldn't say it is all that concerns me. For instance I now have to wait for you to heal before you complete the next step. You are of no use to me like that." She said like it was obvious. The scratching sound was more pronounced as she spoke.

"I apologise for the inconvenience my injuries have caused you." Loki said, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I shall visit you, Frost Giant," She snarled. "When your wounds are cured."

There was a sound like the teeth-grinding amplified, and then silence.

Loki shuffled, groaning as he did so, to the bed before collapsing on top of it.

Darcy assumed that meant the woman was gone because there was no way he'd show such weakness otherwise.

She rolled out hurriedly. Screw keeping hidden- Loki was hurt and Darcy wanted to kill that creepy bitch.

"Oh my god!" She said on seeing him. She'd obviously known he was injured but nothing could have prepared her for the sight.

His leather was torn to shreds, practically all of the skin she could see was painted red, and his right shoulder was a mangled mess of blood and flesh and leather.

Darcy almost gagged.

"Miss Lewis?" He frowned at her in confusion, looking from the door to her, clearly convinced that he'd missed her coming in.

"Oh crap. I have to get you to a healer." Darcy said, stumbling forwards but scared of hurting him more.

"Don't be ridiculous," His voice was somewhat slurred. "They'd kill me on sight."

"Can't you disguise yourself?" Darcy asked, unable to look away from the wounds.

"My magic is being instinctively routed to healing." He answered. "I cannot physically override it."

"Shit okay, okay." She paced, something she did when flustered. "Do you have a first aid kit?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, somehow capable of giving her a judging look despite his current state of pain. "We have healers in the palace, Miss Lewis. Why would we keep healing supplies in our rooms?"

"Oh I don't know, in case you fake your own death then get mortally injured." She snapped. "Okay, I've got one in my room I'll be right back."

She couldn't think of anything else to do so she sprinted to her room, grabbed the kit and returned in under two minutes.

When she returned, Loki looked half unconscious.

She swore again, throwing the kit down and running to his bathroom to fill a bowl with water. It took way too long to fill.

And she definitely wasn't qualified for this. Not by a long shot.

First aid, yes, she'd taken that course. However short of putting Loki in the recovery position she didn't really know what else to do.

She ran back to his room. "Loki." She snapped loudly.

He blinked a few times, turning to look at her and taking a while to focus on her.

"How much does it take to inflict pain on you compared to mortals?" She demanded.

He scowled like he didn't understand why she was asking.

"Answer me Loki." She demanded.

"Around five times as much." He answered.

"Right, okay." Darcy said, pulling out the packet of painkillers. They were prescription only, high strength ones she probably shouldn't have kept but that she'd paid for when she sprained her ankle in the Dark Elf invasion.

For wounds like his she would double the dosage, and then for him she multiplied it by five. Fuck that was a lot of pills.

She placed them in her hand and walked up to him, kneeling next to him on the bed.

"Loki?" She said softly. Oh crap, bedside manner much? "Loki, I need you to swallow these, okay?"

He frowned at her. "Mortal medication?" He asked.

"I don't know if it will work but I'm assuming it won't kill you, and it's worth seeing if they help because this is going to sting like a bitch." She answered.

He glared at her, adamant about the medication.

"Please," She tried.

He clumsily held his hand out, and she had to help him lead the pills to his mouth, and made sure he swallowed them all.

"Okay…" She said, looking at the wounds coating his body. This would not be fun.

There was no way she could get his clothes off without hurting him and they were shredded anyway so she picked up the scissors for cutting bandages and cut the clothes away. Clearly the fact they were shredded had weakened the integrity somewhat, because she shouldn't have been able to cut through his armour. Luckily it was only his top half so she left his trousers on, not wanting to get distracted by his naked body.

His wounds weren't as bad as the shredded leather had made them look. Most were just bleeding scratches. All apart from that one on his shoulder, which even with the leather gone looked seriously painful.

She glanced at Loki who seemed to be on the verge of going unconscious. Oh well, she may as well start with the worst.

She picked up the bowl of water and, with trepidation, drizzled it over the wound, trying to wash the blood away.

He jerked in response, and inhaled sharply, suddenly very, very conscious. She paused and he nodded at her to continue with clenched jaw. His whole body tensed, shaking very slightly as she washed the wound.

"I'm sorry, honey." She said. Yeah, he'd probably kill her for saying that, but she couldn't help it when he was this hurt. She'd better never run into Odin's bane, or she'd murder it for this. She picked up the wound disinfectant and, after contemplating it for a second, a roll of bandages.

"You're going to need something to bite on." She said, placing it in his mouth.

She almost wanted to close her eyes, wincing from the guilt she felt at the amount of pain she was about to cause him.

Before she could chicken out she poured it quickly, all in one go, over the wound.

Loki simultaneously bit very hard on the bandage, and let out a low shout of pain. Good thing these walls were pretty thick.

He was definitely conscious now if he wasn't before.

She removed the bandage from his mouth, and put both them and the bottle down before frowning at him.

"I don't know what to do." She admitted. The wound looked loads better after being washed, but it was still pretty bad. "If you were mortal, you'd probably need a fuck load of stitches but I am definitely not capable of that."

He swallowed. "The wound will heal, stitches are not necessary. If you could…bandage it?" He said, clearly uncomfortable with being both vulnerable and needing help.

Darcy nodded it and got some fresh bandages out.

"I need you to sit up, okay?" She said.

He nodded and shifted so that he was sat up, wincing with pain.

She gently started wrapping bandages over his shoulder and around his torso, padding it with the cotton wool type stuff that would soak up and help clot the blood. Once she'd wrapped it she fastened it.

Now she could turn her attention back to the other cuts. They weren't too bad but she should probably disinfect them.

She started on his back. This time Darcy grabbed a towel to do it properly, dipping the water in the bowl and wiping away the blood before drizzling the TCP over it.

She also put plasters on the wounds because he'd be lying on them.

"Lie back down." She said when she was finished.

To her surprise, he did as she said.

It was slow work as she was being incredibly careful, not wanting to hurt him. She also bandaged and plastered the wounds that needed them.

She tried not to think of how muscled Loki's body was because he was far too injured for those kinds of thoughts.

She was so focused on her task that it took until she was cleaning one of the last wounds she noticed Loki had been looking at her for a while. She glanced up from the cut she was rubbing with the wet towel.

He was staring at her with an odd look on his face. She couldn't explain it but it made her insides turn to jelly.

"Stop looking at me like that." She said, swapping to the TCP.

"Like what?" He asked, feigning innocence.

"Like that." She gestured to his face. "It's making me think…things."

She disinfected the wound and turned back to the towel to clean one last cut.

"What things?" He asked, a smirk to his voice. "Or perhaps you would care to demonstrate instead?"

Darcy was really not in the mood for him flirting. Well her body was, but mentally definitely not because she was too damn worried for him.

She cleaned the cut, looking at it rather than him. "Mmm hmm." She said sarcastically. "How about you sit up without wincing, and I'll suck your dick for half an hour."

Loki glared at her, clearly irritated that he could not physically manage that. "It is your own fault." Loki said instead.

She drizzled on a bit too much disinfectant, almost hoping it would sting.

"And why would that be?" She asked, placing the equipment to the side and looking at him. He looked a lot better. Clean and neatly bandaged. Much better than the bloody mess that he had been.

"You touch me so gently and expect me to not be somewhat aroused?" Loki asked.

"I was cleaning your wounds, Loki. Not quite the kind of gentle touch you'd think would get you up." She really did not need to think about Loki's nurse fetishes, not when she was already considering playing doctor properly with him. "Did the pills help at all?" She asked.

"Yes." He answered, pausing for a moment. "Thank you."

Those two words sent butterflies straight to her stomach because it wasn't something she'd ever expected to hear from him.

"It's okay." She said, finger almost absentmindedly stroking the side of his stomach, as she looked back at the sheer amount of cuts. She shook her head unable to understand why he would risk this. "Jesus, Loki," She muttered without thinking. "Was releasing Odin's bane really worth all this?"

His hand shot out to clasp her arm and he sat up more (wincing, of course), staring at her intently. "What?"

"Ow, Loki my arm." She said and he suddenly realised how tightly he was gripping her. He dropped his arm but still looked at her in a vague state of panic. Oh well, she had to do this sometime right? "You were releasing Odin's bane, right? Or are you at a different stage?"

"I…how did you know?" He asked, scowling at her.

Darcy shrugged. "I read that prophecy book while you were gone and given everything that's going on it clicked."

He shook his head slightly. "You know what it is I am doing, and yet you cleaned and bandaged my wounds rather than hoping they would kill me?" He asked incredulously.

Darcy swallowed. "Well I mean, I'm not down with the whole trying to cause the end of the universe thing. I just figured there must be something I didn't know going on because what you're doing makes no sense. You live in the universe. Why would you want to end it?"

He glanced away. "It is complicated."

"Complicated?" She repeated, raising an eyebrow sceptically. "Loki, just tell me what is going on."

"I cannot tell you." He answered.

"'Cannot'?" She repeated, anger slipping into her voice. "What do you mean you can't? You're afraid I'll try to stop you destroying the universe, because I'll do that anyway, whether or not you tell me your motivations. And who was that woman anyway?"

"You saw that?" He asked, annoyed.

"Yeah, I was in here looking for some answer as to why you would want to destroy everything and then someone came in so I hid and yeah…I heard the whole thing." She answered.

He swallowed.

This was a first: the God of Lies out of lies.

"Is she your partner in all of this?" Darcy asked.

"I can't tell you, if I could I would." He replied sincerely.

"Wait…" She said, something clicking into place in her mind. "You  _can't_ tell me?" Darcy's stomach twisted with anxiety. "Loki…" She said quietly, unsure of how to ask but she lifted her blue eyes to meet his green ones. "Is someone making you do this?"

He looked away, neither confirming nor denying it, which was confirmation enough.

"Who? That woman?" She asked, anger burning in her. Loki was like  _the_  morally ambiguous, self-motivated God. Forcing him to do something just seemed so wrong.

Again, he did not reply. After a moment he spoke. "Here." He said, lifting a hand towards her face.

"Dude no!" Darcy said, clutching his wrist. "No magic mind stuff. You need to use all your magic on getting the fuck better."

He shook his head. "Whatever poison was inflicted from the beast's bite blocked a portion of my magic. It is still in my veins, but what you poured onto the wound has helped a fair amount. It would not be much magic anyway." He looked at her, a desperate gleam in his eye like he needed her to know the truth.

It was all so very odd of Loki but she supposed she needed to know what was happening to explain his behaviour.

After a moment she nodded.

He touched his fingers to her temples. "I cannot tell you." He said. "But I can show you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Oh Glory by Panic! At The Disco. Thanks for all the reviews.


	14. Choices Seal Our Fate

Darcy felt her eyes forced shut, and when she could open them again, she saw that she wasn't in Loki's room anymore.

No, it was dark and cold. She could see the rough outline of the walls in the dim lighting, and they appeared to be made of rock like a cave.

And she knew somehow that she was seeing this all from Loki's view point. It was his memory and she could feel his trepidation.

He wasn't scared exactly, more uncertain. It was like he'd felt when he reached the land beyond the void after falling through that abyss.

And he felt confused. Because as he'd laid dying he realised how worthless the last three years of his life had been. And he'd been hit by a desperate need to apologise because he'd been a fool thinking that whatever hurt he had felt justified what he'd done and even more idiotic to push away the people that cared for him out of 'certain' knowledge that they hated him as much as he hated himself.

He didn't even feel embarrassed about the way he'd clutched onto Thor as he died.

Despite everything, he didn't want his last words to him to be filled with hatred. Because all along, the thing that angered him most was that he couldn't hate Thor, despite his many attempts to. He'd craved Thor's trust and attention the whole trip in Svartalfheim, like some ignored child and in the end he'd needed to know that Thor forgave him.

Because he felt the regret of what he had done like a knife point in his gut.

Then again that could have been the weapon that had impaled him.

And Loki must have been denying strong feelings of familial love for his brother for a long time, because he couldn't bear the thought of Thor dying, to the point where he didn't even regret sacrificing himself for him.

Loki simultaneously hated this weakness of love, and felt stronger because of it.

He looked round at his surroundings, taking a step forward in the cave-like place.

And in front of him the darkness swirled and solidified.

The person standing in front of him was striking. A tall woman with regal, beautiful features on one side of her face: high cheekbones, long flowing black hair, and a perfectly arched eyebrow. And the other side of her face was a skull, rotten flesh still clinging in parts, and a hollow socket where an eyeball should have been.

In fact she seemed to be the same all the way down, a skeletal neck and hand while the other side was skin. She wore a black dress, long sleeved and high necked, sweeping the floor with edges like smoke as though the material was not quite solid.

And Loki recognised her at once. He doubted there were many half-Aesir half-skeleton goddesses.

"Of course," He said, looking round with a smile of mirth. "Helheim."

He knew that regret when dying would not bring him to Valhalla, yet he found a small part of him was saddened by the news like he had been hoping for better. Even his years before his…madness were ambiguous enough that he would be left wondering which realm he would be taken to.

"Oh, don't take it personally, trickster." The woman said, waving away his concerns with her fleshed hand. Her voice was at once eloquent and gravelly. "Valhalla's a myth. There is no Freya or Odin- who take souls that is. Though both do exist. Everyone ends up here."

Loki raised an eyebrow at the information.

"Although," Hel continued. "I suppose if it were, it  _would_  raise an interesting question of where you would be. Before the revelation of Odin's betrayal, you weren't exactly evil, and afterwards, well I think that's pretty self-explanatory. Then you died in battle to save your brother and avenge your mother. Ahh, a question for the philosophers I suppose."

"I suppose." Loki agreed, certain that he did not like the Goddess of the Underworld very much, if she felt that was something she had a right to comment on.

"Anyway, you are not supposed to be here." She said.

"Excuse me?" Loki asked, eyebrow lifting. She had  _just_  told him everyone came here.

"No, Asgardian." She said. "I have spent far too long avoiding you for this to happen."

"Avoiding me?" Loki asked. He hated being confused and would normally demand answers but he felt it would be more prudent to be polite to the Queen of Helheim given that he would be spending the rest of eternity there.

"Oh yes," She sighed. "You should have died long before this. Cast out as a child in the middle of Jotunheim it really was… _unlikely_ that you would live until Odin found you. Wounds you have received in battle that were miracles to heal. Oh, and not to mention surviving drifting through an abyss that should have torn you to pieces. Still… I could hardly pretend not to notice a spear through your chest. Especially not when you had company. That might have been a little bit obvious, don't you think?"

"Somewhat, perhaps." Loki answered, intrigued. "And why does my life mean so much to you?"

"Because it has purpose." She replied.

Loki smirked self-deprecatingly. "Then I feel I may have disappointed."

"Purpose yet unfulfilled." She corrected, voice lilting with annoyance.

"You may have missed that part where I died." Loki replied coldly. "I fear that purpose is over."

"I can return you to the realms of the living." Hel said.

Loki narrowed his eyes at her. "That would take an extraordinary amount of dark energy. At what cost would you waste that on me?"

Hel smirked, the sight rather terrifying given the fact that half of her face just opened.

"I have a proposition for you." Hel said. "You see I am rather invested in a certain apocalypse. An apocalypse it has been prophesised only you can cause."

"An apocalypse?" Loki repeated with distaste. "You do realise you are a resident of the universe you are apparently trying to destroy? I myself tend to put self-preservation before most forays though I could recommend some invasion plans if it is destruction you desire."

"There is a part of the universe that is safe. It is there I shall place the relic of my power. Helheim will survive and when everything in the universe dies they shall all come here, each one increasing my power." She said, a hungry gleam in her eye. "In return I offer you a place on my council. You shall have only myself above you here in Helheim."

"I shall have control over every soul in the universe with the exception of yours if I simply start this apocalypse?"

"Yes." Hel smiled.

"No." Loki answered, trying not to smirk at her shocked expression. She must have been so certain of his answer.

"Excuse me?" She hissed.

"Did my answer confuse you?" He asked. "No."

"You realise the first step is as simple as retrieving a casket?" Hel asked.

"I do not care what the task is. No." Loki snapped.

"And why is the God of Chaos refusing to start an apocalypse?" Hel demanded.

"Because the last time I sought power, someone I loved died. I will not do it again." Loki hissed angrily.

"Don't be ridiculous. She didn't die because you attempted to rule that pathetic planet." Hel said.

"Perhaps, but because of that, I was unable to protect her. The price of that power is one I will not pay." He snapped in reply. "I will not start your apocalypse. I will not let innocent people die to fuel your pursuit of power. It is about time I returned to the state I was in before. The line between good and bad, not heading straight towards evil."

"And what is the real reason?" She asked.

"That is the real reason." He hissed, stepping forwards angrily.

She smiled at him condescendingly. "You are not the only one who can tell when they are being lied to. No, that is  _part_  of the reason. There is something else."

Loki's teeth grit as he steeled himself to reply. "I have been used by Odin as a tool for an alliance, by Thanos as a tool for power, and by Thor for vengeance." Though he did feel guilty throwing Thor's name in there with the others, it was still undeniably true. He hadn't been released from his cell because Thor had missed his company. "I will not be used by you for destruction."

Loki had been expecting blazing anger at his refusal. Hel only continued to smile in satisfaction.

"I gave you an opportunity to be in this with me. Do not forget that. Now if only there were a way for me to give you no choice. If only I were queen of the underworld. If only you had recently lost the one person who has ever loved you unconditionally." Hel said.

Loki's chest constricted. He had not even contemplated this.

"You do not mean-" He started but cut off as Hel waved her skeletal hand and his mother appeared in front of him.

"Loki?" Frigga asked, blinking at him in shock.

"Mother." He said, both of them running to each other. Even though he was taller, she still wrapped her hands round his arms rather than under.

"Loki," She whispered against his ears. He could feel her tears against his cheek. "I never wanted…you should not have…you died to avenge me, Loki."

But he could hardly hear her, because he never thought he would see her again, and it was too much. He had believed his last words to her would be of disowning her, that he would have to live with the knowledge he had caused her death. "I am so sorry," He said against her. "So sorry. For everything. I was a fool. I'm sorry. And I told the Kursed-"

"Shhh," She soothed. "I know. I know. I forgive you, Loki, it's okay."

"I'm sorry, mother." He repeated anyway.

"As touching as this is," Hel drawled, awakening him from the euphoria of seeing his mother. Loki pulled away though one arm still hung round his mother's waist. He never wanted to let go again, not giving a damn about how pathetic that undoubtedly was. "I believe you get my point."

Loki swallowed, not wanting explicit threats but needing to know. "What is it you would have me do?"

Hel grinned with satisfaction. "Firstly, you must return the Casket of Ancient Winters to the Jotunns, Frost Giant."  _Well_ , he thought,  _he'd gone from 'Asgardian' to 'Frost Giant' rather quickly_.

"Loki?" Frigga frowned at him. "What is it you are doing?"

Loki took a deep breath, knowing he had lost and no matter how many times he had: to Thor, to Thanos, to the avengers…well he never could become accustomed to the taste of failure. "Causing an apocalypse, apparently."

Frigga gasped, stepping away from him. He felt something inside him crack at the sight. "Loki!" She said. "You cannot be serious-"

"Silence." Hel hissed. "You hold no part of this other than a bargaining chip."

"You give me your word no harm shall come to my mother if I comply?" Loki asked.

"Of course." Hel smiled creepily. Loki did not quite believe her but he equally had no choice. "And if you do not she shall be thrown to the deepest section of Helheim where the most evil of spirits are punished. I assure you that you do not wish for your mother to undergo such torture."

"Loki, no!" Frigga turned. "I am not worth-"

Frigga disappeared as Hel waved her hand once more, staring at Loki intently.

"What shall happen once the apocalypse is complete?" Loki asked.

"Well, you've lost your place on my council." Hel smirked. "But you and your mother shall be allowed to live with the other, normal souls. I am kind to those who serve me well, you shall not end up in the Halls of Punishment."

 _Rewarded for causing the apocalypse by not being tortured_ , Loki thought bitterly,  _how very kind._

"Do we have an agreement?" Hel asked, knowing full well the answer.

Loki hesitated but knew he had no other option. "We do."

* * *

 

Loki was back on Svartalfheim feeling like he had not only been stabbed by an eight foot spear, but like he had then commenced to be stampeded by a herd of Bilgesnipe, and gone a few rounds with the Hulk.

He groaned, sitting up and coughing out the blood that still collected in his lungs.

And then he realised there was an Aesir above him.

The threat of his mother's fate was still fresh in his mind and he reacted instinctively, grabbing his dagger and plunging it into the Einhar's side.

The man was startled, and Loki quickly yanked the dagger out to push it back into his neck. The man fell, and Loki transformed into the guard, morphing the guard's body to look like his own.

His stomach churned with guilt, and he desperately wished that his revelation about the idiocy of his recent acts had come after he had caused Ragnarök, because he could have done with some moral apathy right now.

After realising there were no other Einhar around he changed the guard slightly: the eye colour, the size, the jaw shape. He looked similar but different enough that Loki wasn't revolted at the thought of wearing another man's skin after having killed him.

Loki wiped the dagger and slipped it into its pocket. He had been alive for less than a minute and already had one death to his name. Didn't that speak volumes about his true nature?

Loki shut his eyes, hoping Heimdall was too busy watching Thor to have seen this.

When he opened them, he was in Asgard, and he walked to tell Odin that he was dead.

"We did find a body." Loki said gently.

"Loki." Odin breathed. And then he smiled with relief that it wasn't Thor.

Loki smiled as he felt the familiar tug of pain in his gut. He had long since told himself he had taken away from Odin the power which he had to hurt him but he lied to himself more than anyone else. An awful lot given that he was the God of Lies.

He consoled himself with the fact that if the world were going to end at least Odin would die with it.

* * *

 

"You have sent the casket to the Jotunns?" Hel asked appearing in his room.

"I took it to them an hour ago." Loki said, hiding his anxiety for his mother's safety.

"You did not have to bring it yourself." Hel snapped.

"I wished to ensure it reached the Jotunns without the Asgardians interfering." Loki replied.

Hel contemplated this before nodding, the best he felt he would ever get to her conceding that he was right.

"The next step is an eclipse. When this happens you must be ready to release Odin's bane." Hel said.

"Is there anything less vague?" Loki asked, eyebrow rising.

"I am sure you can figure it out." The woman snapped before disappearing.

* * *

 

Loki paced his room angrily. A mortal. Of all the people who discovered he was alive it had to be a mortal.

And an irritating one at that.

Of course, she had been useful at first, as he'd managed to extract information from her at the banquet. SHIELD was obliterated. He'd been able to send the Casket almost immediately with the knowledge that the Avengers would be less of a problem.

But any other mortal would be terrified and avoid him.

No, she seemed to have taken him as her personal challenge.

Loki rested his head against the wall.

She wouldn't be a problem but she was annoying. He didn't think he had the energy to put up with her, but he felt like he was somehow defying Hel in some way by not killing her. She wanted him to be destructive, and he had chosen not to be. It was some small reminder that he was not entirely responsible.

Though it would take more than that.

He had tried to do the right thing for the first time in a long time, and he had died for it. He had refused to cause the apocalypse just to be forced to do it anyway.  
He was destined for destruction. He was a monster. He could hardly try to deny it much longer.

"What has happened?" Hel asked.

Loki's jaw clenched. The mortal had at least knocked before shouting at him, and yet Hel could not even manage that.

"Concerned for my welfare?" Loki asked sceptically.

"I want to know why you are not planning the release of Odin's destruction." Hel replied curtly as though unable to bear the suggestion she cared for the 'Frost Giant.'

"I was interrupted." He answered.

"Who?" She asked.

Loki felt a sudden need to protect that Darcy girl. He felt nothing but irritation in regards to her but he'd be damned if he let Hel kill someone because of him.

"A mortal." Loki answered. Better that he make her sound insignificant. Which she was. Well, he may have found her sense of humour slightly amusing but beyond that…

"She will not be a problem, I trust?" Hel asked.

"She is a mortal." Loki repeated.

This seemed to be answer enough for Hel.

* * *

 

Loki returned to his room after being in the library with Darcy. The mortal tended to talk incessantly but even when she was silent, she had ways of distracting him.

For instance she had been concentrating on her book with her tongue poking out the corner of her mouth, and he found himself…well he was certainly not looking at his bed. That was to blame- he'd had these images of her ever since she'd started sprawling across it.

Did mortal women usually lie on a man's bed for discussion? Because that was not how things worked in Asgard.

"This is enough." Hel said.

"Yes, please come in." He sighed sarcastically.

"You said the mortal would not be a problem" Hel said angrily. "And yet I watched you today. She is distracting you from your purpose."

"She is doing nothing of the sort." Loki replied. "You threaten my mother with torture and believe I will not search for your answer because I am so easily distracted by a pair of breasts?"

Loki felt guilty referring to Darcy as such, despite the magnificence of her breasts she really was much more than that. Still it was best to belittle her to Hel lest she go after the mortal.

"Make her leave you alone or I will kill her. Best you be not tempted away." Hel said.

Loki's eyes widened slightly in shock.

"You are not-"

"I am quite serious. Send her away." Hel said before disappearing.

Less than a minute later Darcy was at the door.

Ten minutes later they sat on his bed and she had kissed his cheek. He knew it was a gesture of no significance but he found himself wanting to kiss her in far more intimate places, and the way she was looking at him, well he was fairly certain the feelings were at least somewhat reciprocated.

She had not responded as he had expected her to at his first attempts to get her to leave. He had to make her go. He would not have her death on his conscience.

Not when he had only so recently gained one.

* * *

 

"She is gone?" Hel asked.

"Yes." Loki replied. "I find it adorable you were so threatened by a mortal."

"I was not." Hel snapped. "What would you have done if she had discovered your actions?"

"If a mortal had discovered your plan for the apocalypse, what do you believe they would have done? You truly think a mortal could be the undoing of your intentions?" Loki asked, knowing he was grating on her.

"Of course not-"

"And yet you threatened to kill her." Loki pointed out.

"Fine." Hel said. "I do not care about the mortal. If she finds out so be it but you will not say a word to her of it. And if she so much as breathes a word to another she will die in a way that will make the Halls of Punishment look enjoyable."

"Do continue to threaten the mortals. I understand from experience it is quite enjoyable." Loki mocked. She glared at him and disappeared.

* * *

 

"I told you that you may fraternise with the mortal, not to tup her." Hel said.

"It distracted her from her line of questioning, did it not?" Loki asked. Though of course that wasn't his only reasoning for doing it. He did not think he could resist for much longer.

"Is that how you cause all of your distractions?" Hel asked.

"Some." Loki answered. "Not to Thor of course, have you seen him? Though should it be Sif or Fandral who needed distracting…"

"Enough." Hel said. "I did not come to speak of your wanton nature."

Loki tried not to laugh. Sif would sooner stick her blade in his neck and Fandral, well, it had only been a few times.

And compared to most of the Aesir, he was practically a virgin. Too shy for most of his life to approach those he found attractive, and too intent on world domination for another part.

"Are you certain? We could have quite a lengthy discussion." Loki continued.

"The eclipse is tonight." She snapped. "I hope you are prepared."

"Yes yes." Loki said passively. "It should not be difficult to free Fenrir, though the journey shall take me a few days. His prison is warded to prevent apparition inside, though I may return that way."

"Fenrir?" Hel asked. "That is his bane?"

"According to most literature, yes." Loki answered.

"You are basing this on books?" Hel demanded.

"Did you expect me to ask the Allfather his bane?" Loki asked. "In earnest, I expect he would have replied with me if he knew I still breathed."

"You had best be right, Frost Giant." Hel said before promptly disappearing.

Loki sighed, looking at the supplies he had thrown on his bed, which he now magically stored. Fenrir had better be the correct beast.

* * *

 

Darcy gasped, eyes flinging open not to another memory but to Loki looking at her with a pained expression.

He lowered his hands.

"You idiot, that took more magic than you thought." She scolded.

"Is that all you can say?" Loki asked.

"I…" Darcy trailed off, shaking her head. "Shit."

His head tilted to the side in confusion. "Surely it is better that I am acting on someone else's behalf, rather than fulfilling my own desires."

"Oh hell no." Darcy answered. "When you did that, you were always going to lose. I mean, hate never took you to destroy the universe, did it? There was always some line you wouldn't cross. Now…" She looked at him in fear. "Now you're motivated by love. And I don't know if there's a force in this universe that could stop you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Broken Crown by Mumford And Sons. Yeah I apologise for regretful/redeemed Loki but if he actually died then all that stuff he said to Thor was true. And sappy as it is if he said that to Thor I imagine he would definitely say it to Frigga. Anyway now Loki no longer has secrets I can do his pov woo fun times. 
> 
> Please review.


	15. Love Without Fear

"You have been silent for almost ten minutes now." Loki said. "Do you require medical attention?"

Darcy glared at him. "Sure, just tell me you're being blackmailed into destroying the universe and expect me to not need a few moments to let it sink in."

But it almost had now and it was terrifying but at the same time the destruction of the universe was so big that she couldn't really fathom it. It was impossible to imagine the universe just not existing.

And she knew it was incredibly poor prioritisation, but she was more concerned for Loki being blackmailed into doing all these dangerous things. Loki was a lot of things, and most of them objectively unpleasant…but Darcy liked him, and he didn't deserve this.

She looked down at him on the bed now. It had taken a lot more magic than he'd thought to show her and now he looked drained as well as battered.

"We've got a while until Hel expects you to do the next part." Darcy said. "We'll figure something out…"

She didn't believe it, and she knew Loki definitely didn't but he remained silent, letting her convince herself there was hope. Loki hadn't been capable of such a thing for a long time.

"You need to get some rest." She told him sternly. "I'm staying here tonight. Hel said one of those wounds was infected so I'm not letting you die in your sleep."

Loki smiled, amused. "Do you not think that would solve this problem? Besides, Hel would not allow me to."

"We'll discuss it all in the morning." She said, shaking her head. "It's all too much."

"This was not what I imagined when I pictured you spending the night." Loki said, that half smile on his face.

Darcy raised an eyebrow. "You imagined me spending the night?"

Loki grinned. "Oh yes."

Darcy rolled her eyes, not even wanting to imagine what Loki had been thinking. "Go to sleep, Loki." She said, standing up and walking across the room to sit in a chair by his desk.

In honesty, Darcy hadn't expected him to listen to her, but he must have been exhausted. Soon the sound of his deep breathing filled the room.

Darcy didn't know what to do. She felt restless and confused and so far in over her head that she may as well be at the bottom of the ocean.

But she couldn't sit there doing nothing. Even if it was something that wouldn't help much at all.

She lit a candle in the dim moonlight filtering through the windows. She didn't even know when it had become night. Then she pulled the curtains closed so that the candle light was the only light in the room.

She went to Loki's bookshelf. She didn't know what to read about. Ragnarök? Helheim? And then she decided that the one thing she really wanted to stop, preferably in the most painful way possible, was Hel.

There must be something on her.

After searching for a while, Darcy found an old book with glittering script that read "Ancient Beings." It was crammed into the bottom shelf behind several other books like Loki had never really liked it.

Well, she supposed, his room was filled with fiction. And who didn't prefer that to facts?

She opened the book to a table of contents, the first she had seen in an Asgardian book.

Her eyes scanned names she recognised from mythology books she had read.

And then she found Hel.

She flipped to the right page and began to read.

It took her half an hour to read about her. At the end she knew nothing more than she already did. That Hel was a half skeleton, half woman being who ruled Nilfheim which had been renamed to Helheim in her honour. She had felt rejected from others due to her appearance so retreated to the land of the dead.

Seriously, you could find that information in any Norse mythology book.

She realised that Loki was breathing slightly quicker than usual, not enough to be worrying but she figured she ought to check on him.

She slowly lowered the sheet around him to confirm that none of the wounds had bled through the dressings. Then she lay the back of her hand across his forehead, flinching back at the unexpected heat.

Seriously, he was burning up, and not in typical fever fashion. Maybe it was worse for Gods when they got sick because they so rarely were. Or maybe the fever that Fenrir's venom was inducing was even worse, because he was a Frost Giant.

She didn't know but she quickly went to the bathroom to empty the water bowl of the blood-tinged tepid liquid and to refill it with freezing cold icy water.

She also grabbed some more flannels, because the other ones were coated in blood. Loki would have to steal some more when he was healed.

She soaked the flannel in the water before folding it and pressing it to his forehead. She had to sit on the other side of the bed to do it.

For a while he seemed better, his breathing slowing, his temperature cooling.

But then the flannel would warm, and he would get worse again, yelling in fevered dreams, so she was constantly swapping them, refilling the bucket with cold water.

She must have been doing that for hours, until his fever finally broke.

She almost cried in relief when it did, too exhausted to do anything other than move the bowl and bandages aside, and collapse on the other side of Loki's bed.

* * *

 

She panicked when she woke, realising almost immediately that she wasn't in her own bed.

Then she remembered and slowly opened her eyes to find Loki lying next to her, watching her.

"Loki!" She said in shock. Of course she knew she was in his room, but she'd kind of forgotten the falling asleep on his bed bit.

She reached a hand out to check his forehead. "How are you feeling?" She asked, hand somehow moving to cradle his jaw, her thumb threatening to stroke across his cheekbone.

"I am much better." He said, not flinching from her touch.

"You had a fever last night." She told him in a quiet voice, not fully realising until she heard the tone of his voice just how worried she'd been. "A really bad one. It was terrifying."

He frowned at her. His confusion shouldn't have been so adorable. "And you treated me?" He asked, nodding towards the wet towels and bowl.

Darcy refrained from rolling her eyes.

"Of course." She said, leaning forwards like her body had a mind of its own to kiss him.

It started closed lipped, just enjoying –needing- the pressure of his lips on hers.

And then suddenly, as if he had become aware of what she had done, his hand was round her waist, pulling her body closer to him so that she was pressed against him. His hand was under her shirt, not exploring but simply hugging her waist, his skin on hers.

He parted her lips expertly so that he could suck on her lower one.

Darcy gasped and pushed him away, scrambling up to face him though he still remained within touching distance.

She waved her hands at him. "No." She said.

He scowled. "You were the one to initiate it."

"Yeah, well I was stupid." Darcy said. "You're injured! I shouldn't be doing this!"

"I assure you I am quite alright." He said, hand reaching back for her waist.

She moved further away from him. He narrowed his eyes at her. "You are right." He tried. "I am mortally wounded, Miss Lewis. I will not make it another hour, I fear. Would you deny a man his dying wishes?"

And she couldn't help but giggle because…well just because. She smothered her laughter quickly, giving him a sultry smile.

"You will not be dying while I am treating you." She said. "Now let me do my job and examine your wounds."

Because she wasn't doing anything with him until she was certain she wouldn't hurt him.

She returned to him, kneeling over him on the bed.

She started at his head, first checking his temperature and then checking the cut on the side of his forehead.

She ran her thumb along the side of his cheek, holding his face in her hands. She trailed her fingers across the planes of his face, examining every inch of him.

Then she moved down. The shoulder wound hadn't bled through which was shocking and she was certain if he wasn't Asgardian it would have been soaked.

All the other cuts seemed fine. Better than fine.

Okay, she was so doing this.

She ran a finger gently along one.

"You seem fine." She announced. "From what I can see, that is. I will however have to conduct a very thorough examination." She grinned at him. "Please discard of your clothing."

He smiled and waved a hand to make his clothes disappear. Oh, how she loved that trick.

She returned to his chest wounds. The cuts did nothing to distract from how toned his body was. And she was kind of ashamed to admit that she was turned on by it in a battle-worn, hot Viking kind of way.

She traced around the cuts, feeling the grooves of his muscles and leaving a trail of goosebumps where her fingers touched.

"This one…" She said, gently stroking the skin around it. "It seems different."

She leant over, running her tongue along his skin.

She tilted her head up to face him. "There is definitely a problem here." She decided.

He arched an eyebrow. "There is?"

"Yes," She trailed her fingers along his skin again. "I just have to find it."

She continued to examine him with her mouth, running her tongue and lips across his skin, kissing the cuts and licking at the skin surrounding them.

He struggled not to move beneath her.

She moved up, starting near his hips and moving across the hard lines of his abs, until she was kissing at his collar bone.

"I've found the issue." She murmured against him.

"Which is?" He said, sounding strained.

"That shoulder has been bitten. It needs to be symmetrical." She said, gently biting at the skin on the crook where his neck met his shoulder before sucking at the skin there. As expected, he shook slightly beneath her. He had a thing for hickeys, she decided. And she was more than happy to oblige.

She did this far more gently than the one on his neck, kissing the area and licking soothingly rather than aggressively attacking him.

He moaned, neck arching at her actions.

She didn't know if it was her lips on his, or the fact she was marking him as hers, but he was loving it. His hands moved, one going round her waist to pull her closer while the other went to her hair, pulling her mouth harder onto his skin.

She pulled away and scowled at him, gently removing his arms from around her.

"Do not distract me from my work." She scolded, before smiling. "There, that has cured that problem." She was kneeling beside him and leaning over him, bringing her head closer to him to whisper in his ear. "But there seems to be something else."

He smirked but his breathing was rapid. "And what would that be?" He asked.

Still staring into his eyes, she reached down, finding him fully erect, as she knew he would be. She gripped him, gently running her thumb along him as she smiled at him.

"This. Well…we can't be having this." She said, leaning backwards so she could better see what she was doing as she slowly ran her hand up and down him, touching as lightly as possible so that she sent shivers down him.

His eyes closed and he inhaled sharply at the feel of it.

Slowly, she increased the speed, rubbing against him until he was uncontrollably moaning beneath her.

"It's not going to work." She said. "We need emergency treatment." Although she wasn't even sure if he was listening to her at this point.

Her hand was gone as she bent over him, gently kissing his tip before licking a small circle around it.

He shivered in pleasure.

She moved her lips across him, kissing and licking as he gasped beneath her. She moved up, her lips moving along his balls.

His moans were turning desperate and she wasn't into teasing him this time, so much as wanting him to enjoy it, so she moved back to his shaft, giving it one last long lick before she took him in her mouth.

Her lips were gentle at first moving along him. Loki started rocking his hips, pushing himself deeper inside, and she tightened her lips, running up and down quicker.

She circled his tip with her tongue once more and took him as deep as she could.

He came with that same moan that he had before.

She sat up, swallowing quickly to survey her good work. Loki lay panting on the bed, fingers still tightly gripping the bed sheets as his body shook.

Darcy grinned, pretty breathless herself. That was probably the best blowjob she'd ever given- and that was really saying something- so he had better have appreciated it.

He laughed weakly as his fingers lost grip of the sheets. "I should get attacked by Fenrir more often."

Darcy grinned. "Yep, I make it all worth it."

"Come here." He said.

She wasn't really sure why but she did as he said, going to lie next to him.

But he caught her round her waist and pulled her on top of him.

"Ohmygod Loki." She gasped worriedly because he was still injured.

"I am fine." He insisted, pulling her towards him, arm round her hips.

"No." She said, pushing against him. "God, if you want to repay me you can wait until you're better. Until then-no. I'm the closest thing you have to a nurse, so do what I tell you to, dammit."

Loki laughed, his chest moving under her in a way that was far too alluring. "Eir's staff are not nearly so attractive nor skilled in recuperative healing, I assure you. If they were, it would have made battle wounds far more enjoyable." Darcy laughed and Loki looked contemplative. "In fact were I in a position to recommend treatment that may be at the top of my list."

Darcy raised an eyebrow. "Blowjobs to cure battle wounds? Really? Is that your way of saying 'Thank you, Lady Darcy,'" She imitated his posh voice leaving him smiling in amusement. "'For the best head I have ever received.'"

He frowned. "Head?"

She suppressed a giggle. Eww she was giggling a lot today. It was very unlike her.

"It's a euphemism on Earth. You know, a generic term for oral sex. Others include blow job, sucking off, going down on-"

"I believe I understand." Loki interrupted, smirking.

"And if it's the other way then eating out-"

"Stop." Loki laughed. "You are well versed in the sexual acts of mortals. Though," His smirk sent butterflies straight to her stomach. His thumb moved in circles across the hip he held. "Not nearly as skilled as you are at performing them."

She moved her hands round his neck, pulling her closer to him. Just because she didn't want him doing much while he was injured, didn't mean kissing was off the table. After all, his lips weren't injured.

She kissed him, her lips moving against his, leading his to open, to press against hers. She caught his upper lip between her lips and tugged on it, causing a slight moan from his lips.

God, she was actually turned on by Loki being turned on. His moans were torturous.

He broke away from her, meeting her eyes steadily. "Have you changed your mind?"

Her lady parts were screaming that she had, that she needed him, and dear God she needed him quickly. And all she wanted was his lips exploring her like she had him and his body moving against hers, their naked skin pressed together.

But she could still remember the sight of his shoulder, his feverish screams, his exhaustion…she didn't want to push him over the edge.

"No." She said. "No sex of any kind. No…body stuff." She said. "But I'm okay with kissing." She grinned crookedly with just one side of her mouth. "But that Silvertongue of yours is gifted for more than just work down there, right?"

He smiled, eyes latching onto hers. "You tell me."

And before she even knew what was happening, his lips were on hers hungrily. Where before she'd been leading him, he now parted her lips, his tongue running across them in a quick circle before flicking inside. He ran it along the roof of her mouth, skimming it past hers and touching her teeth making her stomach do flips.

And then it was practically dancing with hers.

He did this thing with it like quickly flicking it up and twisting that made her gasp and-oh God this was heavenly.

They kissed until Darcy was clawing at the headboard, every ounce of self-control she had going into not commanding him to do other stuff. To touch her, or kiss her, or go where she wanted him most.

She broke apart, knowing if it went on much longer her resolve would crumble.

She rolled off of him, lying on the bed next to him like she had when sleeping.

They were both breathing so heavily, it was a wonder they weren't on all fours panting.

Oh no, the last thing she needed was an image of them on all fours.

"Well?" He asked.

"That's it." She said. "I'm upgrading you. A gold tongue. A fucking platinum tongue of untold possibilities."

His arm went round her waist, holding her close to him though he made no attempt to go further.

As he spoke his breath tickled her skin. "Possibilities I promise to repay you with when I am healed."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Scare Away The Dark by Passenger. Umm, yeah. Totally an appropriate reaction to the news of the apocalypse. 
> 
> Please review.


	16. Forget Your Scars

"I do not understand you, Miss Lewis." Loki said, sitting up. The thought had been running through his mind ever since he told her. And he still couldn't believe he had done that, let alone her reaction. There was simply something about her that made him feel like he could talk to her, perhaps it was the fact that she alone knew he was alive, but this was hardly the first time he had told her things he would never have dared utter to another. Whatever it was, it was dangerous. These were hardly secrets he ought to be sharing.

She sighed dramatically. "No one ever does." She rolled over to face him. "What is it this time?"

"You discover what it is that I am doing, and the repercussions, but instead of anger you tend my wounds and," He smirked. "Well, I believe you know what else."

"What did you expect me to do? Honestly?" Darcy rolled her eyes.

"More hatred, perhaps. Certainly not what we just did." He knew how he would have reacted if someone told him what he had said to her, and it had much more to do with calling for the guards rather than treating their wounds. Of course, the charm he had placed on her stopped her from doing quite that, but there was no need for her to care for him.

"Okay look, what we just did had nothing to do with what I just found out. It wasn't some pity 'Loki is being blackmailed' or whatever thing. Okay? It was because I like you and you're my friend and you are also really hot and fucking great in bed to be perfectly honest, though I will probably never repeat that." Darcy said. Loki refrained from smiling, her jokes though endearing were not the direct answers he wanted. "Secondly, it's not like you want to do this. And you tried to refuse, which is frankly rather shocking from you. If anything, I'm proud of you for trying to resist."

"Yet that does not change what I am doing. Nor the fact that I am the only one who could do it." Loki said. He shouldn't have been surprised that he was intended for something as monstrous as this and yet it still made him recoil with self-disgust at the thought. If Hel had told him this in the height of his madness, he probably would have embraced it with open arms, yet instead she told him when he had just realised his brother and others still cared for him, despite his heritage. He almost smirked at the thought of how that would all change if they only knew it was his destiny to be worse than any tale of Jotunns they had been told.

"But you don't  _want_  to do it." Darcy repeated as if it mattered.

"I am destined to do it. I am a monster whose only purpose is destruction, and you believe that is of no consequence?" Loki demanded. Why would she not accept this and behave as he would expect? The girl was one surprise after another, and he was tired of her running circles around him, nothing she had done, from her repeated visits to this, made any semblance of sense.

Darcy rolled her eyes. "You're only destined to because Hel is making you. If you're a monster could you keep that personality confined to the bedroom please because that would be kind of hot." She seemed lost in thought until she suddenly shook her head. "Anyway, your only purpose is not destruction. It is also to give me awesome oral." Loki didn't smile, so she turned to him seriously. "Loki your only purpose isn't destruction, if that's what you think this is then couldn't you also argue your only purpose is to protect your mother? Doing bad things doesn't make you a bad person. And you know, nothing is completely bad anyway. What you're doing isn't good but you're protecting your mother so in a way it is."

Darcy got up and walked over to him and took his hands in hers. He didn't want to admit how nice the gentle contact felt. Not when he could still feel the burn of Fenrir's teeth in his shoulder- an unexpected bite he should have seen coming as he had retreated. "My point," She said looking up at him. "Is that there is good in you Loki. Other people are defining you and you can't let them convince you of it. If you want to hate anyone hate Hel. Heaven only knows I do."

"And when the world ends, what then?" Loki asked. "Would you still claim there is good in me when the universe crumbles around you?"

"Yes, I would." Darcy said. "You aren't choosing this. Hel is. And besides," Darcy continued. "The universe isn't crumbling yet. There is still time to stop her."

"Miss Lewis, you cannot possibly think that I would refuse her." Loki said.

"No, but you're the God of Mischief and Lies. If anyone can work around a request, it's you." Darcy said. "We'll think of something."

" _We_?" He asked.

"I live in this universe too." She pointed out. "Besides like I have told you countless times because you still don't believe it, I care about you." She tapped his cheek.

"And that bitch is fucking going down for screwing with you."

Loki paused for a second, whilst he may have wished she would behave normally for once, he found her defence of him somewhat intoxicating. It had been a long time since anyone thought him worth protecting. "Would you mind not saying things like that while you are refusing to let me bed you?"

Darcy laughed- another thing he found intoxicating that he probably shouldn't.

"I have to go, Loki." Darcy said. "The others will be wondering where I am. Are you sure you'll be okay?" She was eying his shoulder which even when covered by his leather she seemed acutely aware of.

Loki sent her a condescending look. "I have survived Helheim, Thanos and The Hulk to name a few. I am sure I shall manage without you."

Darcy quirked an eyebrow. "Fine. No blow jobs for you when I get back."

And on that pleasant note, she left.

* * *

 

"Darcy!" Jane greeted angrily as Darcy found them all in one of the many conference-type rooms in the palace. "Where the hell have you been?"

"I was in my room." Darcy said. Which wasn't a total lie because she went back there to shower and get changed because there was no way she was showing up wearing yesterday's clothes because even Jane would probably notice.

Jane sent her a disbelieving look. "Where the hell were you really, Darcy? The truth, please."

The others were giving her odd looks, clearly wondering why she was lying to Jane.

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Well, if you must know, I was with that hot guard again. Which I had been planning on telling you later, but if you want me to do it so publically," She nodded to everyone, "Then do you want details too, because I gave the best blow job of my life and he did this-"

Jane had blushed a bright crimson colour. "That's fine Darcy."

Thor looked incredibly awkward, Volstagg amused, Sif impartial and Fandral curious.

"What is the name of this guard?" Fandral asked.

Darcy smirked. "None of your business, Fandral. I am not having you interrogating him for more details."

Fandral grinned. "You know me far too well."

"So," Darcy said, wanting to change the subject before they found holes in her feigned story. "What are we discussing?"

"The location of the Casket of Ancient Winters." Thor answered, clearly happy to be back on a more comfortable topic. "A team has been dispatched to Jotenheim to track it whilst we explore the answer of the Jotun we found."

"We are searching for another who is of both Jotenheim and Asgard. A half blood, perhaps. Or an adoptee like Loki." Fandral explained.

"There are many tricksters in the universe." Sif said. "We hunt them all."

"And most importantly we aid the realms currently affected by the Casket." Volstagg added.

"We were hoping you might aid us, Darcy. In doing what you do best-"

"Though this guard of yours may beg to differ." Fandral interjected.

"We could use your help with research." Thor continued like Fandral hadn't spoken.

"You always see what we miss." Jane added. "Like with those pictures of Thor and the Asgardians being worshipped as deities."

"Sure." Darcy said, she was itching to get to the library to look up Hel. "Shall I go now or is there anything else?"

"No that's it." Jane said.

Darcy went straight to the library. It didn't take her long to find a book that mentioned Hel in the library. Unfortunately it was more of a theoretical thing so she searched for a new one.

"Helheim: A Survivor's Account." She read aloud.

This person had been held captive by Hel to lure their father into Helheim in order to make an agreement with them. They'd written what Hel had been like and the details of the encounter.

Darcy read quickly.

And to her utmost shock it was actually helpful. At the end of the book she had a plan.

It was a very bad plan. It was practically suicidal but hey, the universe was going to end anyway right? She'd rather die trying to fix it rather than die because of it.

She bit her lip. Now she just had to get Loki on side. Which was totally unlikely…she even doubted she'd be able to bribe him with sex and that was saying a lot. Oh well, she'd burn that bridge when she got to it.

It was long past dinner and her stomach growled furiously. What could she say? It wasn't like she was going to put the book down. The world was ending, this was no time for food!

Okay it was always a time for food. What was she thinking?

She detoured to the kitchen where they offered her meal after meal- the good thing about Asgard? Most people ate like hobbits with second breakfast and elevenses and everything in between. She didn't have to deal with scraps, instead getting warm bread filled with piping hot carved ham.

She ate her- sandwich? It seemed too posh and delicious to call it that, on her way back to her room.

Erika looked up as she walked in and smiled at her. "I came to change the sheets, to find they had not been slept in. Apparently you left the meeting earlier as well. A certain guard wouldn't be to blame, would they?"

Darcy smirked. "Maybe." She thought of her plan. And it might not work but she could try. "Listen, it's top secret like seriously important, but I might have to go on a trip soon, and I don't have any clothes appropriate for it. Do you reckon you could get me some? And you can't tell anyone."

Erika nodded. "Of course, I shall bring them tomorrow."

"Thanks." Darcy said and she left.

Darcy put the book down on her bedside table, biting her lip. She knew full well Loki would never even try anything with his mother's life on the line but…maybe he would?

She sighed in frustration. She could always tell the others Ragnarök was happening but Hel had said if she told someone she'd die. And she didn't doubt that Hel would come through with the threat.

Still, if it got much worse she may have to sacrifice herself like that…

Arms wrapped round her waist, and she jumped, sudden terror racing through her. She reached for her taser, before remembering it was in her bag.

"Choose a safe word." Loki said in her ear. "I feel you will need one."

"Loki?" Darcy asked.

"I do not think that would work." She could practically hear him smirking. "I plan to have you screaming that very loudly."

Darcy laughed, still kind of annoyed about his entrance – had he just apparated behind her?- but also kind of excited.

"Hmm, how about ponies? That gets you turned on right?" Darcy smiled.

"I should punish you for such a comment, but if you keep me waiting much longer, I may have to skip that part altogether." Loki said. Shivers ran up her spine. She may have been joking about wanting him to be dominating, but clearly he had taken note. And fuck, she may not be naturally submissive but that voice of his…well, she'd happily do whatever he wanted. She cleared her thoughts, he was injured.

"Umm okay, and I will get to that part, promise, but are you better now?" She asked.

"Very much so." Loki breathed in her ear. "The promise of this to come clearly accelerated the healing."

"Uh huh okay." Darcy said, skin tickling where his breath touched. Great she could do this. "Safe word then." Darcy panicked, not wanting to go for the usual 'pineapple' or whatever. "Rudolph." She smirked, thinking that would kill the mood.

"Why, Miss Lewis, are you mocking me?" He asked, voice low and sending ripples against her skin.

"Uh, just your helmet, honey." She said condescendingly. "That just seems like it's compensating for something."

"Right." Loki said, amusement evident in his voice before he lifted her up and she almost started giggling as he threw her on the bed. "For that you will pay."

Darcy smiled at him. "You're going to punish me?"

"Something like that." He answered, grabbing her arms and in one swift motion securing her wrists to the headboard with handcuffs that had appeared from nowhere.

They rattled softly above her. "Hmm, kinky." She grinned.

As she watched, he raised his hand and the next thing she knew she was naked.

Um okay, that was kind of odd. And she was lying there naked, chained to a bed and suddenly thinking of every NSFW fantasy she'd ever had.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Aren't you going to get naked too?" She asked, very much needing to see his naked, muscled form. It wasn't just his abs- his arms and thighs and ass were all just as well formed. And not in a ridiculous way like Thor, no Loki was slender and just beautiful like a carved Greek statue.

"I don't think so." He said, trailing a long index finger along her torso, starting below her breast and leading to her hips. She shivered at his touch.

"No fair." Darcy pouted.

Loki smirked. "You are chained to your bed, Darcy. At which point exactly did you believe this would be fair."

"Take your fricking clothes off, Loki." Darcy said.

He took her chin in his hand and gave her a patronising look. "Now, is that really how you ask?"

She narrowed her eyes, wondering if this was why he'd chained her so she couldn't just rip them off herself. Oh well, might as well play along.

"Please," She asked, wide eyed and pleading.

He smiled. "Better, but I shall have you pleading more soon."

"But I want to see you naked." She said, putting on a simpering voice. Goddammit, Loki, stop teasing.

He stroked her cheek. "You need only tell me what you want." He said, bringing his other hand up.

And then before she knew it there was fabric over her eyes that he deftly tied in place.

Darcy opened her mouth in shock and she could see him smirking in her mind's eye.

"You are such a jerk." She said.

"Darcy," He warned. "Must I gag you too?"

Okay, fine. He wanted simpering mess. So be it.

"I'm sorry Loki." She pleaded. "Please, I'm sorry."

"Silence." He said, pressing his lips firmly against hers, her head being pushed back harder into the pillow. His lips were somehow simultaneously soft and firm against hers.

She sucked at his lips hungrily, wanting to pull him closer to make him pull at hers in return, before exploring her mouth with that perfect tongue like he had that morning.

As if he knew what she wanted, he ran his tongue teasingly along the seal of her lips. She opened them invitingly and he pulled away.

She went to swear at him to kiss her properly before remembering.

"God Loki, please." She gasped.

His hands went to her naked waist, his long fingers almost meeting and making her feel tiny in a way she so rarely did.

"Begging for my kisses already." He murmured. He was moving closer to her ears and she felt the kind of pressure above her that meant he was heart-breakingly close without actually touching her. "You made me wait for this, Miss Lewis. I think it only fair I return the favour."

His breath was on her neck, tantalisingly close. He brushed his lips lightly against her skin, right at her pulse point.

"Fuck." She breathed, how was him  _not_ touching her getting her hotter than if he actually was?

He bit the skin lightly, tugging it between his teeth without his lips actually coming into contact. Darcy's neck arched, pushing towards him.

She was strongly resisting the urge to wrap her legs round him, and slam him closer, but she knew he'd just make her wait even longer if she did.

And then painfully, slowly, his lips touched the skin, moving his lips tantalisingly against her as he kissed her, and dear god, how were his lips so soft, when he was sucking at her skin so firmly? Her skin was on fire, every inch of her craving his touch and screaming in protest at the amount of attention he was giving her neck.

"Oh God." She moaned. She would probably have a thing for hickeys too, if they all felt like this.

He finished with a firm kiss that made the spot yelp in the nicest pain she'd ever felt.

"What will I do with you now?" He pondered, rubbing the mark he had just made with his thumb.

"You could get inside me?" She suggested. She could feel the blood flowing between her legs where she needed him most.

He chuckled, voice low and so fucking sexy. Was an eargasm a thing? Because she thought she just had one. "Patience, Miss Lewis."

"Pleeeeaaaase." She begged. "Please please pleeeeaaaase."

He placed his hand over her mouth effectively cutting off all speech, his other hand moving to her breasts, rubbing her left one in slow circles.

She licked his hand.

He pinched her nipple in response, making her yelp in surprise against his hand.

He removed the hand, both of his hands moving to her breasts, making identical movements on them both.

He cupped them, thumbs brushing against her pointed nipples, the skin around them prickling with goosebumps in response.

Jesus Christ, why did she decide to tease him that first time? This was cruel and ungodly revenge.

And then he bit softly at her left nipple before gently licking the right one. His lips were on her, sticking her nipple in his mouth and sucking.

Darcy's back arched involuntarily and pushed against him, finding that he was still wearing leather.

His mouth moved, kissing across her stomach and across her hips. Kissing everywhere, making her feel like her every inch was perfect and beautiful from the attention he was giving her. Her hips were almost bucking to get nearer to him.

His lips skimmed across her thighs, moving so fucking slowly, but increasingly closer to where she was yearning for him, his lips leaving a trail of fire where they touched.

And just as he was one kiss away he paused and next she felt his lips on hers. She bit his lip aggressively. She wanted kissing a while ago. The time for that had passed.

"Loki!" She breathed in complaint.

"You told me you wished for me to kiss you." Loki said, finger circling teasingly at the top of her thigh.

"Ages ago!" Darcy scolded before gasping as he stroked along her folds. "Oh god, please."

Two fingers slipped inside an inch.

"Please what?" He asked.

His fingers twisted, stroking her edges.

"Please, Loki." She said and he pushed further in though still not enough. "Please fuck oh god fuck please Loki." At each word he slid further in to the point her head threw itself back. "Please Loki!" And at her last words he moved his fingers in and out with delicate precision, knowing the perfect places to curl his fingers slightly or twist.

Her hips were thrusting helplessly against his fingers.

"Loki!" Darcy gasped as a shiver of pleasure ran along her from one particular thrust.

"Screaming my name, Miss Lewis?" Loki asked.

And then she felt his tongue lick her clit, and she shook from the feeling of it. "Loki!" She gasped again and his fingers were gone and his tongue was in its place. Her hips bucked against him as she shook helplessly, his tongue performing that magic only he could.

Her legs wrapped round his head, pulling him closer and she could feel his breath in between her legs as his tongue flicked alternately between her clit and her walls.

She was on the edge, so close to going over she felt she might succumb simply to his touch. Instead he swirled his tongue and the orgasm crashed over her almost aggressively. She was actually screaming, his name mixed up somewhere in that mix of swear words.

He planted gentle, open mouthed kisses along her body as she came down.

"Fuck, Loki." Darcy breathed. His fingers were at her head and she blinked as he removed the blindfold.

He looked at her, smiling.

She grinned at him. "Now can you get your clothes off?"

He raised an eyebrow. "This was repayment for your actions."

Darcy continued to smirk. "Well, I also bandaged your wounds and stuff so I think I get more, and I want you inside me."

She was practically yearning for more of his body on hers.

Loki grinned. "If you insist."

His clothes had barely disappeared before he was kissing at her neck again, only with the key difference of his naked body being pressed against hers. She felt his erection, fully aroused, against her and smiled.

"Well, hello there." She said.

He kissed at the mark he had made earlier, before his tip was at her entrance and if he waited one more second, she'd probably break the handcuffs herself.

"Now." She gasped. "Please."

He slid inside her, moving against her as she thrust up at him. His eyes were closed in pleasure, his inky hair falling across his face and softening the sharp planes of his face.

How was it possible for someone to be so fucking gorgeous?

She muttered his name repeatedly, each time she said it he thrust particularly hard like it was making him more aroused each time.

And when she could see that his teeth were grit in need, and she felt like she could burst with want for him, she thrust up at the same time he pushed down.

Darcy gasped at the same time he yelped, both of them climaxing at the same time with incessant gasping.

He lay on top of her, not heavily but like he needed to press every inch of his skin to her.

Wave after wave of pleasure crashed down on her, his moans only heightening them.

After a few moments, they began to calm, and she turned to Loki who was now lying next to her, looking somehow dazed like he hadn't expected that.

"So, you like me saying your name, huh?" She asked. Darcy supposed she would too if she was having sex with the only person who knew she was alive.

He smirked. "Very much so."

"Next time just ask. Not that this wasn't a very fun way of doing it," She rattled the handcuffs softly and he reached up to unlock them.

"You would have done it simply if I asked?" Loki asked. "Though this motivation surely helped."

"Oh, no doubts there." Darcy said. "And honestly I would have been happy. I was expecting something a lot worse. Like you wanting me to make neighing sounds."

Loki gave her a withering look.

Darcy smirked. "Speaking of, you never  _really_  punished me for that reference." Because teasing didn't really equate to BDSM per se. "We can definitely do that next time."

Loki smirked. "I'm sure I shall think of something."

And as her wrists were freed he disappeared, apparating elsewhere.

Darcy grinned, the memory of Loki's lips and feel everywhere.

She pulled the blankets over her because she knew Erika might come in at any moment.

And sure enough ten minutes later she came back with the clothes. And gasped in shock at Darcy in the bed.

"What?" Darcy asked, before realising that she wasn't staring at her, but something above her.

Her mouth gaped in shock before her teeth grit in annoyance. This was really not what she meant by punishment. That bastard had left the handcuffs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Mayday Parade's I Swear This Time I Mean It. I promise they will actually start acting like the universe is in mortal peril soon okay? Cool. 
> 
> Please review.


	17. Walking To The Ledge

Darcy was tempted to wait until Loki was in a good mood to suggest her plan- though she supposed it wasn't so much a plan as an idea…well part of an idea at the very least…at least twelve percent of a plan…

But equally, they only had a few days until Hel would expect Loki to be fully healed, and force him to do the next step- whatever that was. The bandages and disinfectant along with Loki's magic had clearly enabled it to happen quicker. That was time they could take advantage of.

And now that Erika had given her the travelling clothes, along with a variety of supplies, she didn't have to wait for anything else. She could give some excuse to Jane but Darcy figured romantic get away with the hot guard would be an excuse better said afterwards. Ask for forgiveness not permission and what not.

So, as soon as Erika had left, which was after she had laughed for about five minutes at the sight of the handcuffs, waving away Darcy's excuses- Darcy had started to walk up to Loki's room.

Darcy knocked and Loki, knowing Darcy wouldn't knock if someone were in the hallway, appeared in the doorway, cocky grin in place.

"Miss Lewis, I'm flattered." He said. "I only left you a few moments ago, and yet you are back already."

"Mmhmmm." Darcy said, slipping into the room. "And thanks for the handcuffs by the way." Darcy added sarcastically. "My handmaiden really appreciated that."

Loki's eyes glinted with mischief. "And what did you tell her?"

"That the hot guard had come and tried to get kinky, but it was really bad and awkward, and that I never wanted to see him again." Darcy replied smoothly.

"You are clearly an innovative liar." Loki grinned.

"I learnt from the best. Anyway, our sexual prowess aside, I wanted to talk to you." Darcy said, perching on the edge of his bed

He frowned. "About what?"

"Oh you know, that little 'being forced to start the apocalypse' thing." Darcy said.

"Ahhh. Yes, that." Loki said as though they were discussing mildly inconvenient weather. "What about it?"

"Well, I had an idea." Darcy said.

Loki looked confused. "An idea regarding what?" He asked. "There is nothing I can do other than what Hel says, and hope that her future realm is a nice one."

"But what if we could stop her apocalypse from succeeding at all?" Darcy suggested.

"I do not feel attempting to stop Hel would match her explicit instructions that I do as she tells me to." Loki said, the bitterness he was trying to keep from his voice leaking in anyway. Apparently Loki wasn't happy being Hel's Ragnarök slave, and if recent days were anything to go by- he didn't like to think about it at all.

"Okay, but hear me out." Darcy insisted. "So I…read this book." She started, suddenly realising how insubstantial the basis of her plan was.

"A book?" Loki asked, eyebrow rising sceptically.

"Yeah, about a guy who was kidnapped by Hel and he wrote like everything about Helheim and how the living can get there and-"

"No." Loki snapped, suddenly angry. "No, absolutely not."

"Well, why not? She said she was placing the source of her power in some special place and this guy says where it was kept so if we can-"

"We?" Loki asked, getting if possible even angrier.

"Well, yeah I'd come too." Darcy said. Hel had leverage on Loki. He was in far too vulnerable a position to go alone.

Loki laughed sardonically. "No."

"Why not?" Darcy demanded.

"Because you will get yourself killed." Loki hissed.

"And since when do you care about the lives of mortals?" Darcy shouted in anger.

"Since I died." Loki snapped. "I can only imagine what Hel would do to my mother if I went to Helheim with intentions to stop her. And she would kill you the moment  you started to interfere."

"Well, tough. I'm not going to stop trying to stop her attempt to destroy the fucking universe just because she threatens to kill me. Guess who's going to die anyway if her plan succeeds."

"If she kills you, your soul will be hers to control and she will have a particular grudge against you. Given what you know of her so far, do you think that is the best plan?" Loki asked condescendingly. "Why would you even attempt this?"

"Because there are dogs and cats in this world too, Loki, and I'm not letting them get hurt!" She protested, only partially joking. She didn't even know how to begin to describe the look of exasperation and disbelief on Loki's face.

"Miss Lewis, trying to stop Hel is one thing, and would be difficult enough with a fully detailed plan. You have a mild idea of how to get to Helheim, based on a book which is probably more fiction than fact."

"So what?" Darcy asked him, suddenly annoyed. "It's more than you have. You're not even trying, are you! You're just doing what she says, whining about it, and not even trying to think of a way around it."

"She has my mother," Loki snarled. "What choice do I have?"

"There's always a choice." Darcy snapped, before shaking her head slightly, realising the implications that could be made from what she'd just said. "Look, I didn't mean it like that and I'm sorry. I get that you're in a really difficult position. But at the same time, you can't give up. If this works we'd have the source of her power, and she wouldn't be able to hurt your mother."

" _If_ this works." Loki said. "And if it doesn't, then what will she do?"

Darcy bit her lip. It was unfair of her to ask Loki to risk his mother's safety like that. "Then I'll go alone." Darcy said. "Worst case scenario, Hel gets me. If you succeed in destroying the world, she gets me anyway." Loki opened his mouth to protest. "And yes I know, torture and stuff but," Darcy thought of all her friends and family and puppies and everything that would be destroyed if Ragnarök happened. "I think it's a risk I need to take."

"Darcy, please don't." He said quietly.

Darcy smiled at him sadly. "I have to try."

"Darcy-"

"Loki, don't do this." Darcy snapped, because she couldn't have Loki pleading with her. Jesus, it was Loki. If he of all people were pleading with her for something other than an orgasm, then something was seriously wrong.

"Don't do what?" He shouted, sudden fury brimming in his eyes. She jumped, Loki was supposed to go cold and cruel, not start shouting. "Ask you not to risk yourself like this? It is suicide, Darcy. Each soul Hel gains is more power for her."

"I am one person, Loki," Darcy shook her head. "I am not going to make much difference."

"You will to me." He snapped.

Darcy felt tears brim to the surface of her eyes, but she wouldn't cry. Loki's words, rather than make her feel wanted, made her feel guilty. She was trying to do something brave and noble, and Loki was trying to guilt her into not doing it.

"It has to be me, because no one else knows the apocalypse is even happening." Darcy said, mind firmly set. "I'm sorry, Loki. I have to do this."

She left before he could say anything else. Darcy knew there was a high risk, but she'd risked a lot more for less. For some reason no matter how many times she yelled that she wasn't dying for college credits or in the name of science she seemed to risk it quite a lot.

Back in her room, she started throwing stuff into the bag Erika had given her. It looked like a backpack, but was really spacious and made of leather.

She threw in everything, but one set of travelling clothes, which she promptly changed into. Erika had explained they were very versatile: good for most weather and lasted a long time without needing to be washed, alongside being practical as well as comfortable.

Also, she looked really hot in them like some Lord of the Rings elf. Brown trousers, tight but in a jeans way, rather than like leggings. Spacious pockets not unlike the sort found on male garments were on them, into which she slipped various other items, including a penknife and her taser. She donned a dark green shirt, which was helpful, because from what she'd read of the road to Hel, it was rather Earthy. Well, most of it was Yggdrasil so that was literally a tree. Lots of camouflage then. And a thick brown belt that went round her waist, and laced at the front. Apparently, it provided some support or something, but for Darcy it did what belts always did to her hour glass figure, and that was emphasise it more.

She rolled the sleeves up on her shirt, and grabbed the brown lace up walking boots she had to go with it.

She'd hoped Loki would have come, and would have been able to disguise her to get out. Darcy was just going to have to risk being found.

She slung her backpack on and cast a nervous eye around her room to check if she'd left anything.

She didn't think she had. She took a deep breath and headed out into the thankfully empty door.

Darcy took a set of side steps down. There was a main staircase in the middle of the floor which all residents and important people used. These side sets were primarily used for servants, but most used the ones at the other side of the hall because it was closer to the kitchens, washrooms and the servants' living area.

She hopped down the steps quickly, just because they were rarely used didn't mean that they were always empty.

Luckily, the few people she encountered barely bat an eyelid at her get up.

Darcy headed straight to the stables, because she'd be harder to catch up with if she went on horse. It was also a good explanation for the way she was dressed and when a few guards raised eyebrows she said as such.

She didn't have a horse here but she did have a usual one that she used when the horse was available. Her name was Astrid, and luckily she was there, because most Asgardian horses were bred for war, and thus rather aggressive and frankly terrifying.

"Are you going out, my lady?" A stable boy asked.

Darcy nodded.

"Would you like Astrid again, my lady?" He asked.

"Yes, please." Darcy answered. Darcy wasn't scared of horses exactly, she was more just nervous because of her own horse riding ability, and Astrid was a gentle and fast horse. She was also not the one who dumped her in the lake.

The stable boy got her ready as Darcy glanced nervously around.

She was going to Hel on what was essentially a suicide mission, but if it worked, then Darcy would save the universe. Why was she so nervous about being caught?

True, if Jane knew what she was doing there would be no way she'd let her continue, but Jane wasn't here, and she didn't know what was truly at stake.

In fact, if Jane found her now she'd probably be more agitated as to why Darcy wasn't reading about the Casket of Ancient Winters, than curious about where Darcy was going.

As soon as she was saddled, Darcy mounted Astrid and galloped away. She knew Heimdall was probably watching, but the worst he would do would be send people after her. She'd just have to be quicker.

The easiest way to traverse was the Bifröst, but Hel had to be accessed directly through Yggdrasil. Any other attempt to use Yggdrasil to travel, for instance if she wanted to visit Earth, would result in immediate atom scattering. Darcy was hoping to avoid that.

She rode across Asgard, heading along the banks of the lake to where the city met the mountains. Apparently, it was through one mountain that the tree was reached.

Darcy also knew she wouldn't be able to take Astrid all the way with her, but she was going to be doing a lot of walking soon. It was probably best if she saved her energy.

And besides, Astrid knew how to get home.

People she passed ignored her, or else sent her a curious look, as most Asgardians of the middle class did at the sight of her or Jane.

And then the houses were gone, and she was racing along besides a forest on a gravel path that ran along the side of the lake.

The mountains grew closer and closer, until she finally reached them. She paused and pulled out the book she was using as a reference, hoping it was entirely truthful. It said the entrance was in the third mountain from the lake, and visible only to those whose intentions were pure.

Darcy really hoped saving the universe from destruction was pure enough.

Either way, she rode along the path that curved along the mountainside. She estimated the third mountain was about ten minutes away. The path branched inside the mountains to go through.

As she reached the third, she saw a faint mark where the path would usually branch off but it didn't, instead the side of the mountain was smooth.

Darcy dismounted.

"You can go back now, girl." She said to Astrid, patting her nose. "Go slow though."

Astrid nickered, which Darcy took for her understanding. Asgardian horses tended to be rather intelligent.

Darcy really hoped this worked, because Astrid was galloping off, and otherwise, Darcy would have to walk back.

She looked at the entrance before getting her book out. The entrance didn't appear to actually exist.

Maybe she had to do something that she'd forgotten.

_"My father states that he travelled to the third mountain. Most travellers are confused at the lack of passageway through here. Extremely few know that it is home to a branch of Yggdrasil and thus holds access to the rest of the tree. As it was, my father having knowledge of this and pure intentions arrived at the mountain to see the passage open for him, allowing him access."  
_

Darcy frowned from the book to the mountain. Apparently, this dude had just arrived and it had worked.

Darcy sensed that was just a figure of speech.

Or at least she hoped so because otherwise she was screwed.

"Umm hi." She said to the mountain, blushing as she spoke. "Can you open please? My intentions are pure I promise. I just want to save the universe. Or try at least."

She stared at the mountain as though unsure whether the passage would appear or it would speak back or what. Apparently the answer was none of these because nothing happened.

"Please?" She tried.

Nothing.

"Okay," She muttered under her breath as she stepped closer. Maye there was some button or something, she thought, fingers trailing over the ridges.

But there were barely any and she tried, pushing, pulling, twisting, jabbing and scratching practically all of them.

She couldn't think what else to do.

She lay her palm on the side and rested her head against the rock.

"Come on Darcy, think." She told herself.

The floor maybe? Or maybe she was at the wrong part of the mountain?

She blinked back tears of angry frustration.

She just wanted to try to help Loki and stop Hel, was that such a wrong thing?

And the moment that thought entered her mind, the rock beneath her skin grew burning hot.

She jumped back in shock and watched with wide eyes as an archway grew in the mountain side, burning red around the edges until it entirely disappeared.

She felt a shocked smile unfurl across her face. She was in.

Inside, it was pitch black, the kind of darkness that refused to be penetrated by the outside light. Darcy pulled open her backpack and rummaged through for her phone. Erika had given her a lamp and oil, but Darcy would trust the torch on her phone before that.

She turned it on and stepped in, the door sealing behind her the moment she was in.

It remained dark for a second before her torch suddenly lit the room in a dim and hazy light.

She was in a thin tunnel, her only choice was to follow it down.

The floor beneath her was rough and uneven and Darcy was suddenly washed with wonder over what she was doing there. Someone had to try but her? Fuck she was as good as dead already.

It should have been Jane who found Loki. If it had been, then she wouldn't have been taken in by his fucking aura of mystery and good looks and brokenness, and she would have found a way to report him, and Hel would have had to find another way to start Ragnarök.

Instead, Darcy had some stupid plan that would maybe work in child's fiction.

Still, she'd rescued puppies from a giant metal robot, and fought alongside a Norse god to destroy some Dark Elves. She really wished she could say that this was the weirdest thing she'd ever done.

The tunnel grew so thin in places she had to walk sideways which made her wonder how Norse warriors had managed it.

And after a while, she realised the path had started to slope, so that instead of heading into the depths of the mountain she was heading towards the roots of it- or the roots of Yggdrasil.

She didn't know how long she'd been walking but figured it had to be close to an hour though it was hard to tell in the darkness. But the slope grew steadily steeper until she was stumbling on loose stones beneath her feet and having to press against the walls to keep her balance.

Jesus, if she'd known balance would be required she never would have thought she was up to this.

And just as she was beginning to doubt the truth of the account she had read, she emerged into a chamber lit by a glowing tree.

Well, the tree itself wasn't glowing, it was surrounded by a fuzzy light, which swirled around it like fluid, liquid like magic, which come to think of it, it probably was.

Here was where she was a bit fuzzy. The book just said "And he travelled through Yggdrasil to the road of the dead." But there were no specific instructions as to how to travel.

Darcy regarded the branch. Well, it was a tree. Logically that meant climbing.

Good thing she was really tall and athletic and strong and not a short girl who hadn't done any exercise outside of running for her life since she left high school.

She sighed. Well really if she died climbing the tree at least it would be a quick way to Helheim.

Yup. Always positive.

She touched the branch, preparing herself to climb along it into the pit it reached from, but the moment she touched it she had a sudden urge to think with everything she had of where she wanted to go.

 _HELHEIM,_  her mind screamed so loud she felt a piercing headache, and then all there was was darkness and the feel of smooth bark beneath her skin.

Suddenly, her eyes were forced open and her lungs screamed for air. She gulped the acrid air hungrily as she surveyed her surroundings.

Dull, misty, dark…all very stereotypical for the land of the dead. The only sound was of a powerful wind, yet Darcy felt nothing but the mist around her.

And then a battle horn wrenched the air apart, and around her the mist solidified into a charging army.

Darcy tried to stumble out of the way, evading the stampeding figures that were too dark to make out.

She turned, looking for a safe place just to see an arrow whizzing towards her.

The arrow had barely registered. Just a split second awareness and certainty that she would die, and just as she felt her heart beat jump in terror and surprise, the arrow was snatched from in front of her by a pale hand, and thrown angrily on the ground.

He looked furious. "You are here two seconds, and you have already almost died."

"Now is no time for 'I told you so', Loki."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Nightmare by Set It Off. Thanks for all your comments and kudos. Also I know this all seems really cliche but I'm sticking as close to mythology as possible in regards to Ragnarok and there is definitely a road to Helheim- the story of the guy whose dad went there to save him is a real myth so yeah, apologies for any ludicrous parts.
> 
> Please comment.


	18. No Poetry In My Soul

"What are you doing here?" Darcy demanded, momentarily forgetting the waging war around them.

"Saving you, apparently." Loki hissed, throwing up a small force field to stop another arrow that had come flying towards them, all without looking away from her.

Darcy saw something from the corner of her eye, and pushed Loki backwards. He stared at the point where the arrow had sailed, the point where a split second before, his head had been.

"You were saying?" Darcy asked, eyebrow quirked.

Loki looked round. "Perhaps we ought to save this conversation for a later date." He suggested.

A man charged past them, almost brushing her. And as he passed, Darcy felt an icy chill wash over her that made her terrified of what would have happened if he'd touched her.

She nodded, biting her lip to stop from showing the terror she felt so deeply inside of her.

 _Loki was here_ , she thought _. He wouldn't let anything happen to her.  
_

Well okay he would but he apparently wouldn't let her get hit by arrows and right now, she'd take it.

"Which way?" He asked.

"I don't know!" She shouted over the ruckus of the war. "The battleground was supposed to be later!" Which was true. This dude had landed in a nice field.

Loki shook his head, and she could tell he was on the verge of another "I told you this was a bad idea" but her glare stopped him.

She grabbed his arm. "Come on." She said.

The battle had started to her left, so she dragged him further right, hoping to get away from it.

She had started by pulling Loki along, but his legs were far longer than hers, and soon she was hurrying to catch up.

Her hand slipped off of his wrist and he paused, seeming suddenly to realise just how quickly he was running. He slowed down. Darcy missed the comforting feel of his skin, but given that they were in a life or death situation, she figured she could cope.

They ran, each of them pushing the other out of the way of the warriors or weapons. Well okay, it was 99% Loki saving her with forcefields, and physically moving her out of the way, but there were a few times where it was definitely her saving him.

And then it was gone. No gradual disappearance of the soldiers just suddenly nothing.

Loki took what must have been an unconscious step backwards, arm out stretched ever so slightly in front of her as he looked round.

Darcy blinked a few times, the new place incredibly bright compared to the murky battlefield.

When the white spots in her vision cleared she saw that she was standing in what appeared to be a meadow. And not your standard meadow either with mown grass and the occasional daisy or buttercup, no this was filled with wild flowers and unruly grass.

The sun shone brightly, and as Darcy lifted her head, she saw not a single cloud in the sky.

She turned, half expecting to see the misty battlefield she had been thrown into behind her, but there was nothing but grass.

"Does any of this seem a little off to you?" Darcy asked uncertainly.

"Define off." Loki said, still looking around warily, though the hand in front of Darcy now worked to the dagger at his waist.

"Well, I mean the contrast from terrifyingly dangerous war to this bright sunny field, is a little extreme, don't you think?"

"It does juxtapose somewhat, yes." Loki agreed.

"And isn't the road supposed to be terrifying?" Darcy asked.

"It is designed to be disconcerting." Loki said, turning to face her after apparently perceiving no immediate threat. "To make the traveller question and rethink their intent. And most importantly, to force them to wonder whether their reasons for getting to Helheim are worth the journey."

"You seem to know a lot about this." Darcy said, starting to walk because there was no point standing still. They were wasting precious time.

Loki walked beside her. "That book you found was hardly the only account." He said derisively. "I would have told you so, but I feared it would only encourage you." He glared at her pointedly. "I assume from your confusion at arriving at the War of The Eternal Soldiers that you did not research this further."

Darcy felt blood rush to her cheeks. "We were running out of time. I didn't have long enough to search for more."

"No, of course not. Clearly rushing to Helheim without sufficient research would be the better option. It is brilliant. Truly brilliant, tell me where did I-" Loki started in what she was sure would amount to a great sarcastic monologue.

"I never pretended it was a great plan." She snapped, turning on him with sudden anger, because it was one thing for him to be angry because what she was doing was dangerous, but quite another for him to be a condescending prat preaching at her like she hadn't known this all along. "I knew it would be dangerous. I knew the book wouldn't be 100% fool proof. Is that really what you think of me? That I am so stupid that I never even considered that?"

"Right now? Yes!" Loki growled back. "Why in the Nine Realms would you go through with such a thing, knowing the slim chances of success?"

Darcy rolled her eyes. Hadn't she explained this before she left? "Because a slim chance is better than nothing. If you weren't fucking starting the apocalypse-"

"And that is my fault?" Loki asked, lip curling in anger.

"I never said it was." She spat through gritted teeth. "Whether it's your fault or not- you  _are_ the one doing it. Either way, a fucking apocalypse is being started. One where every single thing is going to be destroyed. Hel is willing to do this for power, you really think Helheim will be pleasant after this when she has no Gods to appease? She will be in control of everything. How dare you yell at me for not thinking things through when you're still trying to delude yourself with the opinion that Ragnarök will be fine in the end?"

"Because I have to do this either way." He hissed. "And perhaps the hope that Hel will be bearable lessens the thought of what I am being  _forced_  to do."

"Fine!" Darcy snapped. "I'm not saying you are responsible for this but, fucking hell Loki, what right do you have to yell at me for trying to stop it?"

"Why must it be your responsibility?" Loki demanded. "Why must it be you to risk your life, rather than someone else someone better suited?"

"Well, maybe I'm not the best  _suited._ " Darcy said, fighting to keep her voice calm, her hands curling into fists. Her eyes stung at his words. "In fact heck I'm definitely not the best suited. If it were Tony or Thor or Natasha or Steve or Sif or heck if it were anyone else they'd be a lot better. But unfortunately they aren't here. I am. And I'm going to give stopping the apocalypse my best shot because I don't want everyone I love to die."

Loki was breathing heavily, but she wasn't about to give that fucker a chance to speak.

"I'm just some pathetic poli-sci grad convincing herself she has a chance here. Just a fucking intern. I'm sure sooo many people would be better-"

"I did not mean-" Loki started almost apologetically.

"Yes, you did." Darcy snapped. "You very much meant that there are people who would be better at this. And you are right. But they aren't here. Stop acting like I'm some child deciding this is my responsibility, despite there being better people out there. You know I'm the only one who knows. You might wish I wasn't, but you're just going to have to suck it up and deal with the fact that it's me. Sorry to disappoint."

"That does not change the fact that you are doing something incredibly idiotic." Loki snapped.

"Why are you so shocked?" Darcy asked. "One: it's me, hi, have we met? Two: I fucking told you. Why is this coming as a fucking surprise?"

"I did not realise you would actually do it! Not immediately, at least." Loki said turning away and running his fingers through his hair in frustration. A slight slip in her breathing told her she was aroused by that move but luckily she was far too busy being annoyed by him to be turned on. Then again the last time they'd fought like this they'd had really really great angry sex but nope, not thinking of that.

She never should have left Earth. Then someone more "suited" would have found Loki and found out about Ragnarök and she wouldn't be in this mess.

Unless they hadn't…in which case hello apocalypse. And Loki…well she may have been annoyed at that moment (an understatement) but that didn't change the fact that he was being blackmailed into doing this. And his mother was being used as a bargaining chip. She could only imagine how isolating and painful that must be. Darcy knew how she would feel if it were her own mother.

Darcy opened her mouth to reply, but Loki sighed before speaking instead.

"I apologise." He said.

"Wait what?" Darcy asked, certain she'd heard him wrong. Loki didn't apologise that was just…wrong.

"I…did not truly mean that."

"Then what did you mean?" She demanded.

"I mean that I do not want you hurt." He said.

"Why?" She asked.

He turned to her, eyes boring into hers. "Excuse me?"

"Why don't you want me hurt?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"Is that question truly in need of an answer?" Loki asked, looking at her disdainfully, like she should be able to work that out for herself.

"Yes," She said simply. "Because sometimes you act like you're happy to see me, and the next it's like I'm the bane of your existence. Sometimes you seem to love my company, and sometimes it's like I'm back to being an irritating mortal slightly above insects, on a scale of things you can tolerate. Sometimes you act like we're-" She caught herself, almost having said lovers, and fuck, even she didn't know where they stood with that one, nor was she in a position to think about it right now. "Best friends." She said instead. "And the next it's like you're praying you never met me."

And she could have gone on of course. Sometimes he looked at her like he'd never seen anyone so beautiful –in every sense of the word- and the next it was like every look at her was painful like he was disgusted by his affection for a mortal. Sometimes she would catch him staring at her like he couldn't keep his eyes off of her, and the next it was like he wished she wasn't there at all.

"Is it possible that all of the above are true?" Loki asked.

Darcy didn't know if that was an insult or not.

"That's what makes you so infuriatingly irresistible." He said, eyes raking her over in a way that wasn't sexual (well okay, maybe partly) but more like she was an enigma he wished to solve. "I am uncertain, Miss Lewis. I simply know that however much you irritate me, and know that it is a lot, I still find myself wanting to be around you."

Okaaaay…though she had to admit Loki wasn't exactly the most pleasant to be around. Wasn't she in kind of the same position?

"Do you care about me?" She asked, having to be sure though she felt she already knew the answer. "At all?"

"Of course." He answered without hesitation. "I cannot pretend that I am happy that I do. My life would be far easier at this moment in time if I did not, but I would not be here if I did not."

Well that brought her nicely onto her second question, and she could kind of feel her anger slipping away until it was like she was calmly talking to him out of curiosity rather than a need for answers.

"Why are you here?" She asked, not unkindly.

"You were discovered missing, and your handmaiden confessed to preparing clothes for you to travel. Remind me when I return to congratulate her on her choices." He added, flashing a smile at the sight of her. Okay, this time his look was very sexual. Darcy felt her lips curve slightly in response. She knew she looked hot. She was glad Loki had picked up on that. "I knew where you had gone though as I earlier said-"

"Shouted." She corrected.

Darcy knew the look of a refrained eye roll when she saw one, and that was definitely Loki now.

"That I had not expected you to actually follow this through." He continued as though she hadn't interrupted. And then he looked slightly awkward. Darcy didn't know what was going on. First he apologized, and now he looked awkward? What was happening? "I could not risk you being hurt." He said simply.

Ahh, confession of emotions. That explained the awkwardness.

And something in Darcy's stomach fluttered at the words at the same time her heart beat louder. She couldn't help it.

She'd closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around him.

He froze for a second, before his arms were around her shoulders, pulling her close.

She leant her head against his chest, and his fingers played absent-mindedly in her hair.

It felt so nice in his arms, that for a moment, she could forget why they were there and what they had to do. All that mattered was that she was with Loki.

And she was aware, though not fully consciously, that that was not a normal thing that she had thought since knowing him. Good in bed? Fuck yeah. Enjoyable company in the sense that he was fun to be around when he wasn't being a dick? Well she supposed. A walking contradiction of wanting to be better but doing bad things? Yes and wasn't that what had partially intrigued her about him in the first place? She wanted to know the whys of his life. If any man were ever a mystery it were him.

But to care about him? To want to be with him as he was? Without making him act nicer or be more naked? Well that was all rather new. Of course she should have realised as her heart had lurched with worry at the sight of him wounded but apparently not.

No, this was the realisation of the fact that she loved him.

And she didn't mean that in the romantic sense of being in love with him –that was a whole other thing she was staying very clear of. No, this was the kind of love you had for the people you cared for.

And she knew in that instant that if her plan worked, if she managed to get Hel's source of power, if in that rare possibility that she was rendered not mortal but weak, then she would go after Hel herself because Loki didn't deserve this.

"Thank you." She said to him, knowing that to confess all this to him would push him away. Oh, but he knew already. He had to know. Again maybe not consciously but if it had taken her this long to realise it then he must have been aware a long time ago.

She glanced up and saw Loki nod. His eyes were also closed as though he wished to just savour this moment, and not think of any weaknesses or implications that may arise from caring for a mortal.

And then he opened his eyes, and they simultaneously let go.

"You don't have to stay, you know." Darcy said. She really, really didn't want Loki to leave. She now really did know that she would probably die out here without him but at the same time she could understand his reluctance. "You could go back now and Hel would never know."

He shook his head. "You cannot return. The only way is forwards."

Darcy bit her lip. "Shit, I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Loki said seriously. "It was my choice to follow you here. If we are caught I shall simply have to attempt to reason with Hel or give excuses."

"If we get caught promise me you'll tell her the truth. Promise you will blame me." Darcy said.

"What?" He asked in shock. "Of course not."

"Loki if Hel thinks you had any part in this well…it's Frigga you're risking. If you admit you only came because I had a foolish idea and you wanted to protect me then well, it's probably better overall." Darcy said.

"There are too many things she could do to you." Loki said.

"And too many worse things that she could do to Frigga." Darcy countered.

Loki hesitated. And clearly the reminder that Hel had full control of his mother enabled him to nod his head, he didn't look happy but he was agreeing and really that's all she cared about.

She let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding.

"Right," She smiled. "Let's not get caught then."

"In the month that I have known you, I have learnt that that is the sort of thing you of all people should never say." Loki said, starting to walk again.

"Shush, live in the moment, Loki." She told him. "We're in a nice sunny meadow. The other parts of the road really aren't that nice, so let's just enjoy this one." She looked round at the genuinely beautiful landscape. "I don't get how this is considered part of the road to Hel."

"Helheim is an after world for all, not the hell of your mythos. The road, like Helheim itself contains both good and bad elements, as neither the road nor Helheim is intrinsically good or bad." Loki explained.

"Oh, okay." Darcy said. "See! Told you we should enjoy the meadow. Nothing bad is going to happen here."

Loki looked at her grimly. "And that, I feel, is another one of those sentences."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Stitches by Young Guns. 
> 
> Please comment.


	19. All My Broken Things

They had been walking all day, talking occasionally, but mostly lapsing into a comfortable silence, like walking alongside the other was the most natural thing in the world.

"Loki, are we walking in circles?" Darcy asked, because they were still in the meadow. It was hard to tell though, because for the most part, all patches of meadow look the same.

"No, that is impossible." Loki said. "The road is designed to play tricks on the mind."

"We've been walking for hours though." Darcy pointed out.

"Perhaps." Loki answered simply.

"How on Earth is that a perhaps?" Darcy asked. The muscles in her legs were screaming, and she knew she'd regret this tomorrow. It had to be late night by now. Her stomach felt so empty it was painful and she was stifling yawns every few seconds.

"Time works differently here." Loki stated simply.

Oh great. So for all Darcy knew, it could be five days from now back home. Jane would kill her.

She stumbled as the ground suddenly changed to rock beneath her, having to cling to Loki to stop herself falling.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed as she looked down. She didn't want to think about how high up they were.

She took a few steps backwards so that the mountain wall pressed against her.

Loki steadied her, looking at her warily.

"You were not prepared for this?" He asked.

"There was no mountain in the book!" She protested. She wasn't scared of heights, but being up a very steep mountain with no safety gear? That didn't seem like a recipe for success.

Loki looked at her disbelievingly, before shaking his head. "Are you even armed?" He asked as though this would be proof of her inability to prepare.

"Yes!" She said quickly, slightly offended he'd even asked. "I have my taser and a pocket knife."

"A pocket knife?" He repeated disdainfully. "And do you know how to use that in a fight?"

"Uh huh, you stick 'em with the pointy end." Darcy said, smiling at her own clever Game of Thrones referencing.

Loki however, looked more aware than ever of how utterly unprepared for all of this Darcy was.

But he said nothing, simply shaking his head before changing the topic. "Well, you are not wrong. At least there ought to be caves here for us to retire for the night in. At this rate we ought to reach Helheim tomorrow."

"T-t-tomorrow?" She stuttered. "But it took this guy nine days!"

"As I plainly said," Loki replied. "Time flows differently here."

Hel tomorrow? Darcy wasn't prepared for that!

"Jesus." Darcy breathed before her stomach growled loudly. She felt her cheeks flush. "Okay, umm, can we find a cave now? I'm tired and starving and if I try to keep going I'll lose my balance and die. And despite what I said about that being a quick way to Hel I didn't really mean it."

"You would not go to Hel." Loki said. "This place exists in limbo between the realms of the living and the dead. Were you to die here your soul would be shred and scattered."

Okay, so she wasn't expecting that and could think of nothing else to do but inhale sharply and nod. "Okaaaay. Let's avoid dying here then."

"Yes I think that is probably for the best." Loki answered. He held his hand out to her and at her raised eyebrow looked at her pointedly. "You are clumsy at best, Miss Lewis. I do not trust you on this ledge."

She couldn't really protest that so took his hand and tried not to think about how nice it fit and how comfortable it felt.

After about ten minutes of walking across the treacherous surface, they came across a small gap in the wall.

Loki looked in, lighting the area with a small green, of course, light.

"It seems of adequate size." Loki stated, slipping in.

Darcy disagreed. It was actually very big.

Well no, it was about average Earth-bedroom size, but the ceiling was extremely high up, giving her the unpleasant sensation of being trapped at the bottom of a well.

The shape was somewhere between a triangle and a trapezium, with the ceiling sloping to the wall on the right side.

Oh well, it wasn't like she could afford to be picky.

"Green lighting? Really?" Darcy asked. She recalled the guard saying he was fond of green and a thousand other comments that in hindsight made her wonder how the hell she hadn't known it was Loki.

Loki seemed to realise this for the first time, and the light turned white, though there was no way of knowing where it was coming from. The whole cavern was simply well lit.

Darcy sat down by the edge of the wall and threw the backpack in front of her, quickly rummaging through it before finding the food Erika had given her.

It was in a tub like Tupperware but made of a goldish metal that was lighter than plastic. And inside was powder.

"What the hell?" She asked as she looked at it.

Loki, who had been examining the cave, looked over. His nose wrinkled. "War rations." He said.

"What is it? It looks like gravy granules." Darcy said, sniffing them but there was no smell.

"They would ordinarily be cooked by servants travelling with large regiments." Loki said before sighing. "However, my brother, his friends and I would often be trusted to our own tasks." He held out his hand. "Do you have any others?"

"Uh yeah, hang on." Darcy rummaged through her backpack and found three more tins. "You know how to cook them?"

Loki nodded. "Could you imagine one of the others taking it upon themselves? If I had not learnt, we would have starved. It seemed only natural after all."

"What do you mean?" Darcy asked, watching as he took the tins and lit a small, woodless and smokeless fire in the middle of the cave.

"Cooking is seen as a demeaning task meant typically for servants, and for female peasants. As the one who preferred to learn magic rather than sword fighting, I was always seen as argr in their eyes." Loki explained.

"Argr?" She asked.

"A derogatory word for those who chose to do effeminate tasks, or prefer to take lovers of the same biological sex." Loki said simply.

"Ah." Darcy said. She had this idea of Asgardians acting like teenage white boys in obey t-shirts who used "gay" as an insult. "And how did you feel about that."

Loki smirked. "It did not cut me deep if that is what you are asking. I was quite assured in the knowledge that between my magic and strategy I was the superior fighter, no matter how much they would have denied it. As for other insinuations, well, I am a shapeshifter. I do not know if biological sex applies. Besides which, Fandral was flamboyantly argr, and no one particularly cared due to his ability with a sword."

"Fandral?" Darcy asked. "But he was hitting on me."

"Does Fandral truly strike you as one who would limit their opportunities for sexual intercourse by something as restrictive as gender?" Loki asked scathingly, mixing the powders.

So effectively, Fandral was bisexual and Loki pansexual? Interesting, she'd always assumed Asgard would be as heteronormative as the American media.

"So is Asgard really homophobic?" Darcy asked.

Loki frowned. "Theoretically, yes. The subject is taboo, and if asked for your opinion, you would be expected to be against it. In reality however, most people do not care."

"Damn, I should have moved to Asgard sooner." Darcy said.

"You are…?" Loki asked.

"Yeah I told you I was bi, both genders. Although I do have a preference for guys. May have to bring up that little shape shifting thing at some point, though…" Darcy winked at him.

Loki arched an eyebrow. "Do not tempt me, Miss Lewis, whilst I am cooking us dinner."

Darcy grinned. "Please don't make me choose between food and sex with you. They are like my two favourite things."

Shit. Now Loki was arrogantly smirking. She should not have said that.

"Well, I mean not that I'm basing it on much. The last guy I slept with didn't even know what a clit was." Darcy said in an attempt to reign in that arrogance, but Loki must have known what she was doing.

"Well, I am certainly glad to have surpassed your rather low standards." He said, pouring what was now a plate full of food onto the lids of the tubs.

He passed one towards her and as he did she caught a whiff of something heavenly.

"Thanks." She said, looking at it. Admittedly it did look like airplane food, but it smelled great.

She ate it greedily. "Oh my god, this is so good." She announced. "Okay sorry, sex with you is out the window this wins."

Loki laughed. "I suppose I shall have to try harder next time."

Jesus, she wouldn't be able to walk if he did that, but she wasn't about to tell him that, she'd never hear the end of it.

Though she didn't have a large portion, it seemed to be acting like lembas, because as soon as she was finished she was contentedly full.

She also noticed the lid was clean just through her eating, so she pushed it back on the tub of powder, Loki passing her his as he had finished before her.

He stood up and went over to the fire, which had warmed the cave to a comfortable temperature.

Darcy bit her lip, wondering if now was a good time but he seemed to be in a good mood and she was curious.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked, internally cringing at that cliché sentence.

"You will do so regardless of my answer." Loki pointed out.

"Okay, so I read the prophecy a little while ago but I didn't get that it was actually happening until the others mentioned you were a Frost Giant." Loki froze but she didn't really understand why. Maybe it was the mentioning of the prophecy. "But in all the books I read…well you don't look like a Frost Giant. So are you shape shifting now?" She asked.

Loki hesitated for a moment and she saw his Adam's apple move seductively as he swallowed. "In a sense." He answered. "This is not my original form, but due to living in Asgard my entire life, it is my natural one."

"So you do have a form that is all blue and stuff?" Darcy asked.

Once again, Loki hesitated. "Yes."

"Can I see?" She asked.

"No." He snapped, this time with no hesitation.

She frowned. "Why not?"

"Because…that thing is not what I am." Loki said but he sounded unsure, like he was still confused on that front.

Darcy stood up to turn to him. "What do you mean that 'thing'? Like you're a Frost Giant isn't that simple?"

Loki's eyes fluttered shut for a moment. "Yes, I suppose it is."

Darcy frowned in confusion. "So why can't I see?"

"I would not have you see me in such a monstrous form." Loki said.

"Monstrous? Dude, there's nothing wrong with being a Frost Giant." Darcy said. "Like, you're one and I couldn't care less."

"The Frost Giants are the enemies of Asgardians." Loki said.

"Good thing I'm not Asgardian then." Darcy said.

"You do not understand. They are a barbaric, monstrous race. Children of Asgard are raised on horror stories of them." Loki replied. "Myself and Thor included."

"Wait, why would they tell you horror stories of Frost Giants?" Darcy asked. "Weren't you a bit like, "umm I'm not a monster thanks?" "

Loki looked at her in shock. "Darcy, I did not know. I assumed Thor had told you."

Darcy blinked. "Told me what? How could you not know?"

"I was left in no doubt I was Asgardian. I did not know I was adopted, let alone of another race. And certainly not…that race." Loki said.

"But wait when did you find out?" Darcy asked.

"During the trip to Jotunheim that led to my brother's exile." Loki said.

Darcy blinked, unable to quite understand it. "So wait you were raised on stories that led to you hating a race that effectively meant when you found out you hated yourself and believed you were a monst- holy shit! Before Thor's exile? But he was telling us stories of how great you were, and then you sent that Destroyer and…Is that why?"

Loki looked away. "I suppose. I felt betrayed by my parents for both not telling me and for instilling in me the belief the Jotuns were monsters. And being treated by Odin as being second best to Thor. When I found out, I denied the truth and wanted to prove that my true loyalty was with Asgard, that I wasn't one of the monsters of Jotunheim…I tried to destroy Jotunheim. It was foolish, I know but I thought by doing it maybe Odin would look past my race and see that I was worthy of being king after all."

"And…and killing Thor?" Darcy asked.

"I was bitter and resentful that it was I who should suffer such a revelation. It was truly misguided." He said. He shook his head. "When I found out I had not proved myself, when I realised I had become the very monster I had tried to convince myself I was not I fell into an abyss to be rescued by Thanos. He has a very powerful form of magic that amplifies negative emotions. The hatred and resentment I felt both to myself and others was turned into a weapon by him and I was sent to retrieve the Tesseract, my sceptre fuelling that hatred. It gradually faded as I was in the dungeons but…"

"Fuck." Darcy said. "I mean, you know that doesn't excuse what you did, right?"

"Of course not." Loki said.

"But like…that's really fucked up. And I kind of want to murder Odin right now. But you aren't a monster, Loki." She stepped forwards, taking his hand. "Maybe you aren't fully Asgardian, but you aren't fully a monster either. You're just…Loki. And I like Loki."

She smiled.

Loki frowned in response. "You do not fear the Jotunns?"

She shook her head. "Show me." She said.

Loki looked uncertain, but then his hand grew cool in hers, and she watched as his skin faded to blue, his eyes burning red.

Ridges appeared like tribal marks, emphasising his cheek and jawline. His hair looked even darker in comparison.

She could tell he was expecting revulsion, but Darcy was genuinely curious.

The hand that wasn't holding his reached up to trace one of the patterns on his face. It felt cooler than the skin around it, and she could feel him tense.

"How can you not be disgusted by this form?" Loki asked incredulously and Darcy saw a flash of pointed teeth.

Darcy cocked her head and looked at him curiously, before smiling. "Because you're just…blue. Like you are exactly the same person- just a different colour. It's not like you started growling or something." The finger that was on the ridge moved so her thumb brushed his lips.

Gently, she parted them, seeing the pointed teeth were just in fact his incisors.

"And besides, I have something to confess." She said. "I'm only with you for the skills of your tongue anyway." She lent up so her lips were millimetres from his, her thumb still parting his cool lips. "And that looks exactly the same."

She pressed her lips to his, enjoying the feel of them cool but not unpleasantly so beneath her. And they were so soft, even in Jotunn form, which she had expected to be rougher and more barbaric.

Darcy gently parted his lips, and moved hers against his in light, caring movements.

And then she lovingly moved her tongue in, letting it flick against those pointed teeth that really weren't that bad. Certainly not fangs like she'd been expecting.

And then his tongue moved against hers, cool and skilled as ever.

Even in Jotunn form, one kiss from him could make her come undone.

As she ran out of air, she pulled away, smiling against him.

He had a look in his red eyes that she couldn't place, like dazed hopefulness.

"Loki, you're the most beautiful man I've ever met." And it wasn't a lie because his chiselled features could not be described in any other way. "Jotunn you is exactly the same, just a different shade."

And those tribal marks didn't hurt either. She wasn't going to lie and say he was hotter like this, because he had bright red eyes and blue skin, but at the same time he wasn't uglier, he was just…Loki. And like she'd said, she was rather fond of just Loki.

Her finger trailed along one of the ridges on his neck.

"So, are those marks everywhere?" She asked flirtatiously, but before he could answer she dropped to her knees. Her fingers went for the buckles at his waist, but his cold hands caught at her wrists.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Uh, going down on you?" She suggested. She had to say that Loki of all people was the last person in the world she thought would have a problem with her being on her knees in front of him. Wasn't kneeling his thing?

He looked at her with mild concern for her sanity.

"Darcy, you cannot possibly feel that this form-"

"Loki, stop." She said. "Like I just said, I really don't care what form you're in and I am about to show you very much how much I love your body in either form."

She could see him bulge through his leather, and pulled her wrists free to return them to his buckles.

"You do not have to." He said, but she could tell he definitely wanted her to. Now there was the reaction she was hoping for, that desire in his voice sent sparks down her spine.

"Believe me, I very much want to." She said, especially because if those ridges extended everywhere then…god, in between her legs throbbed in excitement at the thought.

She pulled the last buckle, and his erection was already hard and ready. And yes, ridges that made ribbed condoms look pathetic.

She rubbed along his shaft before taking it and moving her hand up and down.

Loki moaned. "You may not wish to tempt me in this form." He said.

Darcy grinned. Well, okay then.

She licked at his slit first, and his fingers moved to her hair, threading the strands between them like he had done so often before.

She moved the tip of her tongue along the swirling ridges on his skin. And the moment her tongue touched the first raised pattern his grip tightened, and he shuddered.

Darcy looked up at him, moving away. "Painful or-"

"No." He breathed, his voice sounding rushed. "It's good."

She moved her tongue back, lapping along the ridges with varying pressure. Loki panted and moaned above her.

God, those sounds shouldn't be allowed, the things they did to her…

One hand was on his hip, holding him to her, whilst the other moved to massage his balls.

Darcy moved her lips to his tip, kissing lightly before he entered her mouth, and as she moved against him, her tongue continued its work touching those goddamn ridges as he thrust against her.

"Darcy," He moaned and her stomach did flips.

She took him as deep as she possibly could, and he said her name again, sending shivers down her spine.

Then his fingers were gone from her hair, and were on her shoulders, pushing her away and pulling her up.

He was panting. "No. I need you." He said.

And she was about to point out that he had very much been having her literally a second before, when her clothes were gone in the same magic he often took his with, and she noticed he was naked too, the darker blue patterns spreading across his gorgeously sculptured body.

But she didn't have time to stare for too long, as he grabbed her shoulders once more, bringing her once more towards him and spinning her round, pushing her against the rough wall of the cave.

His mouth attacked hers, kissing her hungrily and she desperately kissed him back as her hand guided his length towards her opening.

He bit lightly, and she practically melted against him at the same moment he thrust inside her.

She clutched at his shoulders, nails digging into his blue skin as her head was thrown backwards, her hips rocking helplessly against him.

He thrust in and out quickly, those ridges feeling incredible as they moved inside her. She could barely keep up but with the rough wall pressing against her and Loki's need so evident she wondered whether she'd ever been so turned on.

She let out a moan that echoed in the cave as he moved deep within her, unable to contain her pleasure. She was saying his name again and again, each time she said it seeming to fill him with more lust and need and desire.

"Darcy." He moaned against at her at the same time he pushed deeper than before.

She came aggressively, her orgasm unseen and relentless. She shuddered against him as wave after wave of indescribable pleasure crashed down on her.

He thrust once more, and her muscles spasming around him caused him to spill inside her, yelling out her name, before having to push against the stonewall to keep himself standing, his hand somewhere above her shoulder as she leant against him.

She was panting desperately as she slowly, gloriously came down.

"Fuck." She said, unable to contain what had just happened. That was so quick and intense, and she felt like she might come all over again at the thought of it.

"That was a first." Loki panted.

Darcy grinned. "You mean I deflowered Jotunn Loki?" Damn she was jealous, her first time had been awkward, if anything. "Don't worry. I'll happily give him some more practice. More than happily in fact."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title from Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don't) by All Time Low. Okay but like it's not fanfiction unless someone's banging in a cave...and it's not Loki fanfiction unless Jotun sex happens right...so that was a completely necessary and important chapter right?
> 
> Please comment.


	20. Angels By Your Side

Loki's started to let his skin fade back, but Darcy stuck her hand out. He frowned at her.

"Wait." She said, finger reaching out to trace a still visible ridge on his chest. The ridges weren't known to be especially sensitive, but every time she touched one, he couldn't help the shivers that ran along his skin. "Can't Jotunn Loki stay for a bit? I haven't gotten a chance to explore."

Loki hesitated for a moment, and Darcy's hand fell to his, taking it reassuringly and entwining his fingers with hers.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

He didn't know how to answer that. How could she possibly understand years of internalised hatred towards Frost Giants?

"This form repulses even myself." He admitted. "How you can-"

"I think I very clearly demonstrated I am not repulsed." She said.

"I know." He smiled, pushing a strand of her hair out of her face absent-mindedly. It meant far more than he would ever confess that she accepted this form. Yet there still lay a difference between accepting it and going out of her way to let him know that. "But you realise if you were an Asgardian woman who confessed to doing what you just did with a Frost Giant, you would be incarcerated."

"Wait, it's illegal?" She asked.

"I do not believe anyone ever thought we needed a law for that. I meant incarcerated for insanity." He answered. The idea of an Asgardian woman purposely – in the dark ages before the war, there were a few kidnaps that he did not wish to think of- bedding a Frost Giant was laughable.

To his surprise, she laughed. "Loki, honey, I'm currently on the road to Helheim, to try to stop an apocalypse which the God of Mischief is being blackmailed into causing, the God of Mischief who I happen to be regularly banging. I think an appropriate response would be insanity." Her finger trailed down a pattern this time, her other hand still in his hand. As she got nearer his hip, he involuntarily arched towards her and she smirked devilishly, a look that combined with her touch, made him want to press her against the wall all over again. "But if this is insanity, then I'm kind of liking it."

Loki just stared at her, lips slowly pulling into a smile. He still could not believe his luck that she of all people had discovered he was alive. The amount of people it could have been… and it was one who he was…fond of.

"Still I…" He started remembering the way he had almost lost control, only caring for his own pleasure, and feeling guilty. It was not the first time he had treated someone like a means to his own end, but it was the first time he had done so to someone he cared about, and he could not say he felt particularly good about it. "I apologise if I hurt you, I had no idea how sensitive certain parts of this anatomy were."

Darcy grinned, and he felt relief that she did not seem annoyed with him. "Do not apologise, it was hot as hell. You know what they say, treat me like a princess, and fuck me like a whore." Loki quirked an amused eyebrow, and she continued. "You know, we're probably the first people to have sex on the road to hell."

"Yes, we probably are." Loki agreed. An opportunity to treat her roughly in the knowledge she enjoyed it? He could very much get used to this.

The hand that had been trailing across his skin now rested on his chest. "Which also means we've set the record. I think I want to break it."

Loki grinned, oh how he liked the way she thought. "Why did you not request books from my room earlier, Miss Lewis?"

* * *

 

Loki was a genius. And she did not mean that sarcastically.

He'd forgotten his sleeping bag.

Added to that the only reason he'd forgotten it was because he'd been in such a rush to stop her from getting herself killed…well, she was more than happy to share.

It wasn't like they had much to do to while away the hours until they could sleep in the cave, but they'd made do with what they had. Darcy didn't think she'd ever had foreplay that lasted so long, or that she'd enjoyed so much. When she said she wanted to explore, she'd meant it.

And now she lay curled against Loki, who was normal temperature again because she might like certain things with blue Loki, but snuggling was definitely better left to regular Loki.

His arm was draped around her waist and she held his hand to her stomach. They were very pressed together despite the larger than normal sleeping bag.

"Loki?" She said quietly, not really knowing why, but feeling like if she didn't admit it soon, then she'd probably do something reckless in order to deny it.

"Hmm?" He answered. She wondered if he'd been falling asleep.

The quiet of the cave surrounded her, only their breathing to be heard.

"I'm scared." She said. She'd hoped that maybe by admitting it, then it would stop being true, but instead the fear she felt curled round her gut, pushing her towards tears.

She felt him tense behind her, his fingers curling tighter around hers. "Of being here?" He asked.

She was so glad she wasn't looking at him. She could only imagine his face. Probably a look that read 'Well of course you are, you're a puny mortal in way over your head.'

"Of everything." She answered. "Of being here, of going to Hel, of the whole fricking apocalypse…I'm terrified."

His thumb brushed over the skin of her hand in a soothing motion. "If you are scared, then why are you here?"

"Because I have to." She answered. "Sometimes you have to put that fear aside. Like when you sent that Destroyer- have I thanked you for that yet? Anyway, remind me to yell at you later- or with the Dark Elves. All I wanted to do was scream and run away, but if I didn't stay and help…then who would? I spent most of New Mexico saving puppies. No one else would do that but…puppies."

Okay, so maybe not her best explanation for being scared.

"That is somewhat admirable." He answered.

"What being scared? Or puppies?" She asked.

"Being scared but doing what must be done anyway." Loki replied.

Darcy rolled her eyes. Like he could talk. "As if you even know. You probably don't even know what being scared is like."

"Darcy, I fell through an abyss and landed in the comfort of Thanos. I have lived with terror as a constant companion. Believe me, I am aware of what that is like." He answered curtly, not rudely but like he in no way was going to let her pretend he didn't know what it was like.

Darcy's stomach curled guiltily. "I'm sorry." She said. "Although that was ages ago- I mean, not saying that makes it any less- but when was the last time you were scared?"

"When I heard that you had come here." He answered quickly.

Darcy rolled over to face him, his hand still held in hers.

"What?" She breathed.

His features though darkened in the dimness of the cave were sharper, his eyes watching her intently.

He glanced away, as though admitting such a vulnerability was shameful. "When I heard you had come here, or rather when I realised it I…I knew I had to come after you. I was terrified."

He leant closer, lips brushing her forehead in a gentle kiss. Darcy's skin tingled where he touched, it was like when he'd brushed her hair out of her face earlier, the gesture so careless and gentle, she could barely believe it was Loki.

And her heart jolted at his words. She wanted to express something to him but what? 'I love you' was way too big, and something she was far too uncertain of.

Besides, she didn't even know what they were. Like were they dating? Because the only place they'd really been was the library and the road to Hel and they weren't the most romantic of places.

Going out? Or were they just friends with benefits?

They were facing the end of the world. Trying to label whatever was between them seemed silly.

"After all," He continued. "If you ended up captured by Hel, she would no doubt have taken her anger out on me. I wished to avoid that."

Darcy rolled her eyes and pushed his chest lightly. "Shut up."

He smirked and she grinned in response.

"I'm glad you're here, Loki." She said, leaning into him. His arm immediately went round her, and she was pushed against his chest. She inhaled deeply, his smell of lingering leather, soap, and something utterly him, like a personal cologne or something, that she found intoxicating. God she could happily drown in his smell.

Especially with his arms wrapped round her like that.

"I am glad you are not here alone." He answered, his lips somewhere by her ear.

They stayed entwined like that until they fell asleep, both content despite the fear of what lay ahead.

* * *

 

Darcy woke to cold sheets beside her, and the smell of food cooking in the air.

Lazily, she sat up, blinking a few times and reaching for her bag where her glasses had been hurriedly stashed.

The cave was freezing, so she clutched the sleeping bag tighter to her.

Loki glanced over from where he was hovering by the magical fire.

"You're cooking breakfast?" She asked before sighing and leaning back down. "Have I mentioned how much I love the fact that you are here?"

"You were certainly yelling it last night." Loki said, with that mischievous grin she loved far too much.

She refrained from an eye roll. "I'd throw my sock at you but  _someone_ seemed to be in a hurry to magic away my clothes."

Loki flicked his wrist and her clothes returned to her like they'd never left.

Darcy tugged at the sleeve. "So, I suppose there's no hot springs in this cave where we can have awesome sex, and wash at the same time?"

"No." Loki answered. "Much to my dismay."

"Not quite the most romantic cave then." Darcy commented, thinking what the cave would look like if it were in a movie.

"Forgive me," Loki mocked. "I will search harder next time."

Darcy laughed. "You know I have other clothes as well, right?" She asked, starting to wrap the sleeping bag up. "You didn't have to put me back in these ones."

Loki looked up at her, his eyes unashamedly raking her body.

"Yes, but I was in a hurry last night." He said. "I very much have plans to tear those off of you."

Darcy raised an eyebrow. "Keep looking at me like I'm meat and you won't." She said. "My eyes are up here, asshole."

"I am very much aware of their location." He said, pointedly looking at her boobs.

Darcy didn't know whether to laugh or slap him, but she was saved from the need to search for a response as he passed her a plate of food.

She didn't realise how hungry she was, but she supposed such…rigorous activities would leave her that way.

She devoured it quickly. "So," She asked with feigned enthusiasm. "Ready for day two of the road to Helheim?"

"Well, I would much rather stay here." Loki said. "But given that tomorrow Hel will visit Asgard to tell me to take care of the next stage, only to find me absent with the knowledge here would be the only place that she would be unable to locate me that is unfortunately not an option."

"Right, so the rest of the road can't be too bad right?" She asked.

Loki looked at her pointedly, and it took her a moment to realise why. Oh yeah- another one of those sentences.

* * *

 

"Okay!" Darcy shouted in frustration. "Mist! I get it! Jesus Christ."

She followed Loki through it. He was only a metre in front, but even he was a bit blurred, and everything else around her was a swirl of white fog.

The dampness had seeped into her clothes, and she shivered with the cold.

"I do not think shouting at it will help." Loki said patronisingly.

"It can't hurt." She snapped. She was cold and wet and miserable, and Loki was not the best company when in that kind of a mood.

"Oh God, how much longer can this go on?" She asked a few moments later. It had been like this for hours.

"Theoretically forever." Loki said through grit teeth. "Though if you continue to complain much longer I doubt I will-"

"Shut up, Loki." Darcy retorted.

"A rich sentence coming from you." Loki replied curtly.

She was about to give him a snarky reply when the mist instead of clearing disappeared, plunging them into complete darkness.

"Darcy?" Loki asked from in front. Oh God, she couldn't even see him.

"I'm here." She said. Her voice sounded small in the darkness.

A few minutes later a hand brushed across her boob.

"Umm, I don't know what you are hoping to locate, but if you want to do it in the dark, I'd rather we just turned the lights off next time." Darcy said, but the humour fell flat, her words sounding flippant and irritating even to her own ears.

Loki's hand grasped hers.

For once, she allowed herself to enjoy the feel of it. She'd been suppressing those more intrusive thoughts a lot recently. Those ones that were okay occasionally, but now terrified her. Because surely the butterflies in her stomach shouldn't flutter _every_  time he laughed. Her heart shouldn't skip  _every_ time she caught him looking at her. She shouldn't get goosebumps  _every_ time he touched her.

She shook her head. She was probably imagining half of that stuff. And the only reason she enjoyed holding his hand now, was because she felt safer- it was a constant reassurance that she wouldn't be alone wandering aimlessly in the darkness.

Besides, her mind reasoned, even if there was a tiny part of her reacting to Loki like that it didn't change the fact that it was Loki. Because he was hot enough to fuck, and maybe she cared about the bastard, but that didn't change everything he'd done.

He'd saved Jane and died to do the right thing, yes, so he wasn't wholly bad. But he did still try to kill Thor and the rest of Puente Antiguo, not to mention that little world domination attempt.

She followed him in the darkness, but her mind was racing with nothing to distract her.

Because the Destroyer was ridiculous. Well okay, he was pissed, but if he'd wanted Thor dead, he had half an Asgardian army on hand. Not to mention those Frost Giants he'd coerced. And no, that didn't excuse what he'd done, but it did hint that maybe deep down he hadn't wanted Thor to die. You know, deep deep deep down.

And the only reason she thought that was because his attempt at world domination was just so laughably bad. He had the Tesseract- he just needed a couple of hours, and the Chitauri would have been his. He could have attacked the helicarrier in seconds. Instead, he'd got himself captured so that he could manipulate his brother and the others personally.

No, Darcy had said it from the get go that he hadn't wanted to rule Earth. He'd just wanted to piss off Thor. But someone had wanted destruction…there were so many ways for Loki to annoy Thor, why that?

But that was as far as she had gotten. Because if she didn't know any better, it was like he'd tried to fail. And she used to think that was so he could get captured and sent to prison in Asgard, maybe so he could break out and get revenge on Asgard. Instead, he'd saved the universe and died in the attempt.

Darcy sighed in frustration, the sound ringing in the darkness.

Loki's hand tightened momentarily in hers.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"Nope." She answered. Of course. What could be wrong about fucking a guy- no screw that, holding hands with a guy who had killed thousands.

"You are aware of the purpose of this section?" Loki asked.

"Purpose?" She asked but oh God she was talking to a murderer.

"Each section has a purpose, each part designed to make the traveller question their motives for reaching Helheim: The war to test the strength of your desire to reach the realm, the mountains to test your endurance, the mist to create confusion and the darkness to  _force_  you to think of the things you have been suppressing or refusing to think about." He said.

Oh. Well, at least that explained why she'd suddenly felt the need think about that.

"We cannot clear it until you face what you have suppressed. So, I shall ask again if something is wrong." He said.

And maybe it was the power of the darkness but she opened her mouth before she could think better of it. "New York."

Loki paused and she almost walked into him, before he started walking again like he had never stopped. "I see." He answered.

"Why did you do it?" She asked.

"Darcy," He started calmly, almost pleadingly.

"Why?" She demanded.

"I owe you no explanations." He answered curtly.

"Excuse me?" She asked, unable to believe he had answered with what she thought he just had. "It was my world you tried to enslave. My race you slaughtered." And as she spoke she felt her anger growing. "Innocent people that you killed. I think we deserve a fucking explanation, and don't give me some crap about revenge on Thor, because brother issues do not escalate to that kind of crap."

"You saw the monster I am." Loki snarled. "What else would a monster do but destroy. First your pitiful planet, and now the universe. Does that answer suit you?"

"You're so full of shit." She answered, pulling her hand angrily from his. "Finding out you were a Frost Giant must have sucked, but in what world does that lead to you wanting to rule an entirely different planet?"

"I was born to be a king." Loki snapped. "If I could not have Asgard, I would take that beloved hovel of my brother's."

"Bull. Shit." Darcy yelled at the darkness. "Tell me the fucking truth."

"You believe I wanted Midgard for some other reason? Tell me, have you  _seen_  Midgard?" Loki asked cruelly.

"You know, when you died you said you regretted all that. The Loki I know certainly seems to know what he did, and how he felt was wrong, so why now? Why are you bringing this all up now like you still feel the same way?" Darcy demanded. "Come on Loki, you're in the dark too and you're hiding something. So tell me: which thoughts are you repressing?"

"Silence." He commanded.

"Of course, my liege." She said sarcastically. "Or my king. Or however you wanted us Earthlings to address you if you succeeded."

"That's enough. How many times must I tell you it was a power-crazed act?" He was breathing shallowly, like he was fighting to remain calm.

"Until I believe you. Because you're supposed to be the smart one. The strategist. And yet I can't think of anyone- and bear in my mind I know a lot of really stupid people- who could come up with a worse plan for world domination. Especially when you had something as powerful as the Tesseract. So you know what I think? I think you wanted to get caught." She said.

"Is that what you  _think_?" Loki asked. "I suppose it is good I never met you during New York, with a brain like that I doubt I would have thought you worth controlling."

The words didn't even sting because they just sounded pathetic and desperate. "And I thought you wanted to get caught so you would be back on Asgard. So you could take over that realm or something. But that's not right is it? Because you never once tried to escape. In fact it wasn't until Frigga died that the need for revenge drove you out. Which kind of makes it sound like you were done and had given up until you had a reason to get out."

"Darcy," Loki's voice held warning- a threat that she ought to stop.

"And you certainly didn't seem 'done' on Earth. Which makes me think it was all an act. So Loki, who was it an act for? What the fuck happened to you when you fell off the Bifrost that made you do that?"

"Thanos." Loki blurted, and for some reason Darcy knew that if it weren't for the magic of the darkness surrounding them, he would have taken that secret to the grave- well, metaphorically speaking given that death no longer held quite the same permanence it once had.

"What?" She asked. She knew he'd worked with this Thanos person, but they were like partners weren't they?

"Thanos found me." Loki answered bitterly, like he knew he had no choice but to reveal this and no desire to whatsoever. "In the abyss. I had fallen broken, wanting nothing but death, and he took advantage of that. Of every dark emotion and memory I had, twisting and exploiting it. Torture both mental and physical, until he had torn me down to my very essence so that he could build me back up into the weapon he needed me to be. He needed the Tesseract.

"And those twisted, dark thoughts powered me to do it. They made me insane, craving nothing but the destruction of all who had wronged me. And of course I would be happy, I would be  _thankful_ , to have the opportunity to do this, all in return for something of as little significance as the Tesseract.

"But as much as he could manipulate every other aspect, he could not remove that slight aspect of logic that knew that Thanos was evil, evil in its purest sense, and that with the Tesseract he would destroy the universe. That, and the pain that Thanos had manipulated held above all that the desire for the release of death. If captured, Thanos would not get the Tesseract. And my punishment on Asgard would be, undoubtedly death. And better, the final blow to Odin and Thor-to have them be the ones to sentence it.

"And you know what I received instead?" He hissed bitterly. "I was told that my mother was the only reason I was alive. Away from the Tesseract the hate I felt lessened, especially towards her. So I tolerated the imprisonment, knowing that she was the only one for whom I would do that. And then she died. Well what else was there to live for? I did not have to die that day. I had plenty of time to dodge the Kursed's blade. But I had killed the Kursed that killed my mother and that was all I wished to do with the remainder of my life, why not fitting that it in turn took my life.

"But the Kursed was powered by the Aether, a different infinity stone that burned away all influence of the last. I saw my life clearly for what it was: a series of mistakes that had only ever hurt those I cared about. But I wouldn't even be allowed to die because no, I was created to be a weapon of destruction, and that could not end just yet. So Miss Lewis, you wanted the truth, you wanted to know what repressed thoughts had been burning in my mind in this darkness? They would be Thanos, and the knowledge that the Kursed's blade in my gut was the best thing I had felt in years."

All at once, the darkness lifted, and they were plunged into bright sunlight, standing in a fertile field.

But Darcy wasn't looking at that, because she'd been listening in awed silence, and Loki's words had made tears sting in her eyes until they tumbled down her cheeks  but Loki looked worse. He was pale and shaking, like the footage of him coming through the Tesseract portal.

It was like the weight had not been lifted from him, but torn viciously away, and Darcy wondered what it would be like to be forced to reveal thing about herself she didn't even want to think about, let alone let others know.

And then her arms were around Loki, and she was still crying but she didn't care.

He clutched at her harder and tighter than he ever had, like he needed someone to hold onto, and Darcy knew that just like in his memories of breaking down to Frigga and Thor, he would regret it later, would be icier and colder in an attempt to make it look like he needed no one, but in that moment Darcy knew the truth.

"It's okay," she said. "I'm here for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Death Rattle by Mallory Knox. Umm yes. Sorry. Darcy is hugging Loki because I can't. 
> 
> Please comment.


	21. The Edge of Nowhere

Loki broke the hug with the look of self-loathing Darcy had expected in response to him showing weakness.

"Loki." She said softly, unsure of what she was going to say, but feeling the need to say something, to offer some small words of comfort no matter how much she knew he would resent them.

"Don't." He replied, turning and continuing to walk. They were in some fields that had crops growing better than any farm on Earth.

"But-" She ran to catch up with him, as he was walking quickly in his anger.

"Enough." He snapped, not looking at her but continuing walking purposefully.

"Loki, please," Darcy tried desperately. "I just-"

"You just what, exactly?" He turned on her. His eyes showed a scary mixture of hurt and anger, his words clipped and furious. "What could you possibly say? I voiced things I had not even admitted to myself, and you feel there is something you could say that would possibly make that better? Enough. I would prefer to pretend it did not happen."

Darcy swallowed and nodded. She knew it wasn't healthy to ignore it, but Loki was right: what could she possibly say to that?

So instead, they lapsed into the most awkward silence Darcy had ever been in with Loki. In fact, it was probably their first awkward silence, their silences a range from comfortable to scary but never, ever awkward.

And it was even worse, because she'd wanted answers for New York, as though hoping to find some reason that would excuse what Loki had done. But she hadn't.

He might have done it to force Thor to have his blood on his hands, or to spite Thanos- but he'd still enjoyed it, still didn't give a damn about the humans dying.

But she felt bad thinking that, because all she'd had to reveal was her problem with New York, whereas he'd revealed suicidal thoughts- obviously she knew he'd purposely jumped off the Bifröst but…it was very different hearing it from Thor, and hearing it from the man himself.

What right did she have to complain, at least right in this moment, when Loki had been forced to reveal all that?

And she wanted to comfort him, to hold his hand, or show him some support, but knew he'd hate her for her pity.

Dammit, why couldn't she find a normal fuck buddy? One who wasn't being blackmailed into committing the apocalypse, and with a history of failed world domination attempts? She didn't think anything would make her miss Ian.

Wait no, let's not go that far. At least Loki was interesting.

Interesting. Well, that was one way of putting it.

She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of loud running water, like waves crashing on metal. She looked up to see a distant raging torrent that twisted as far as she could see.

As she drew nearer, however, she saw it wasn't metal but mainly weapons. Crossbows, swords, daggers, scimitars, spears and thousands of other weapons flowed like liquid, their images twisting quickly down the water. And in between them were other objects: graduation caps, baby items, money, wedding rings…all of them flowing and made of a substance in between water and gas.

"What the hell?" She asked before being unable to stop herself from snorting. "Get it? What the Hel?"

Loki rolled his eyes, but she could see his lips tighten to suppress a smirk. A start she supposed, and her stomach fluttered at the fact even given everything, he could be slightly amused.

"Yes, your wit truly knows no bounds. Was the river not mentioned in the book?" He asked.

"Yeah, a river was. Not all this stuff in it." She replied.

"It is called the Styx." He answered.

"What? Wait, seriously? But that's Greek mythology." Darcy frowned.

"Your Greek mythos is derived from fragments fallen from Asgard down the Bifröst. Most of it is fictitious, but occasionally they stumble upon truths." Loki explained.

"Awww, you got me excited, I thought Greek deities existed, and damn I would be all over Apollo." Darcy said.

Loki raised a very pointed eyebrow at her.

Darcy grinned. "What? He sounds hot." Well, apart from nymph stories but if most of Loki's weren't real then hopefully…

"You are aware I am right here?" He asked.

"Are you jealous?" Darcy asked, highly amused by the thought. They weren't even together or whatever. Not that she knew what they were…anyway.

Loki snorted. "Hardly."

"Mm hmm, okay." He looked put out no matter how much he attempted to hide it. "Don't worry, I doubt he would have your skill in bed anyway. Have I mentioned your tongue lately? Anyway, so the Styx, you know back to that pressing matter of going to Helheim. If it's the river of failed hopes and dreams, then I get the objects, but why so many weapons?"

"The inhabitants of all realms have wished for better skills in battle for a great while longer than Midgardians have hoped for diplomas." Loki replied.

"Okay, so what else from Greek is real?" She asked. It made her wonder if there was truth to all mythology. Maybe there were Mayan or Shinto Gods out there somewhere too.

"I do not pretend to be an expert on Midgardian mythology." Loki said in a way that made it very clear he did not care for the topic.

"Well, what other rivers are there in the underworld?" She kind of had to avoid them all if they did exist.

"The Lethe and the Phlegethon are known, but there are few who have been able to document it. There may very well be others." Loki answered.

"Okay, so if I swim in there, will I be invincible? You know? Like Achilles?" Darcy asked.

Loki sent her a condescending look. "You wish to swim in a raging torrent of weapons?"

"Okay, point taken." She said though she was kind of disappointed.

"So what now? Wait for Charon to ferry us across?" Darcy asked.

"That too would be a myth. What is wrong with Midgardians, constantly inventing tales ranging from a ferry of the dead to the seduction of horses?" Loki shook his head in disbelief. "Either way, I suggest we follow the river. There ought to be a bridge at some point."

Darcy nodded and they walked along the bank, much more relaxed than they had been before they came to the river. Darcy quizzed him on more world mythology.

Not much of it, fortunately given most of the stories, was true.

Although apparently, Zeus came about from Thor summoning thunder and lightning from the top of Mount Olympus. Darcy didn't want to mention to Jane, that the God famed for his inability to keep it in his pants was based on her boyfriend.

And Loki did that thing where he acted annoyed by all her questions, but then kept answering them anyway. He loved the sound of his own voice far too much.

"Okay, but what about all of the demigods?" Darcy asked.

Loki tilted his head in contemplation. "They may very well be bastards of Thor's. I assure you he bedded enough women. Perhaps bastard children of the other Aesir too."

"And what about you?" Darcy asked. "Any kids?"

"No." Loki answered. Darcy opened her mouth, but he stopped her with a look. "And before you ask, yes, that includes whichever beasts your mythology states I fathered."

"Actually, you mothered them." Darcy said with a grin.

"Of course, how could I for-"

"Halt." A booming voice interrupted.

They both looked up to see a bridge across the river that definitely hadn't been there before. In the middle stood a woman who must have been ten feet tall, and dressed in what Darcy pictured as the clothes of the Amazons: chain mail, practical breastplate and holding a huge metal shield and spear.

Darcy glanced at Loki who simply frowned and stopped walking. Darcy stopped too.

"Ummm, hi?" She tried.

The woman pointed her spear at her and walked forward to the edge of the bridge. The spear drew level with Darcy's neck, and she saw Loki tense from the corner of her eye.

"If you try to cross without my consent, I will kill you before you manage to take your first step, do you understand?" The woman said, eyes narrowed at Darcy.

"Yeah," Darcy said, eyes on the tip of the spear. "Dude, don't worry I won't."

The woman moved the spear to Loki, and Darcy resisted the urge to try and tear it from her hands.

"And you?" She asked.

Loki arched an eyebrow. "I assure you I will make no such attempt."

She narrowed her eyes, and pushed the spear closer so that it pressed lightly against his neck.

Darcy moved, unsure what she was going to do, but knowing she couldn't let her spear Loki. Loki moved his arm out to stop her.

"Don't." He warned, keeping very still to stop the spear cutting.

"I do not believe you." She said. "Deceit surrounds you like a veil."

"Well, that is shocking." Loki said with so much sarcasm Darcy didn't know how he fit it in just four words.

"Explain." The woman said.

Loki sighed. "Well I am known as the Silvertongue in my realm, and the God of Lies and Mischief in hers. That's not to mention the fact that most people believe me dead, while I walk in front of them in one of many disguises."

"And you expect me to let you pass." The woman hissed.

"Well, I'm certainly hoping so." Loki tried.

Her expression made it clear she was not going to do that.

Loki's eyebrows furrowed. "You can sense an aura of deceit, but cannot even tell when someone speaks the truth?"

"What would you know of sensing the truth." She spat.

"Did I not mention I'm also known as the Liesmith?" Loki asked.

Darcy wanted to punch him. This was so not going to help.

"You are strange." She said with distaste.

Loki shrugged. "I have been called far worse."

"I'm about to call you far worse." Darcy muttered under her breath.

"You have an aura of deceit and carry the signature of Asgard, Jötunheim, Svartalfheim and Helheim." To woman said. "It is rare enough to find anyone with two. And yet you hold four. Certainly I have never met anyone with Helheim's signature." She pushed the spear so blood welled in drips. Still Loki didn't move. "I have not allowed you into Helheim." She hissed. "So how have you been there?"

"The standard way." Loki said bluntly. "I died. On Svartalfheim which is, I assume, why that signature has lingered."

"How could you have died and yet be here?" She demanded.

"These questions are awfully personal." Loki said. She twisted the spear. "Hel sent me back." Loki continued. "It is rather a long story, I would rather tell it without having a spear to my throat."

The woman glared but lowered her spear. Instead of leaving it, however she moved the spear back to Darcy's throat. The cold metal bit at Darcy's skin. It was wet from Loki's blood and Darcy didn't know whether she wanted to kill this woman, or let Loki do it.

Anger flashed in Loki's eyes.

"Tell it quickly then." She said.

Loki's jaw tightened at the unspoken threat. "She wanted me to start the Apocalypse. I refused. She forced me to do it anyway."

The woman's eyes widened. "You speak the truth."

"Shocking I know." Loki responded drily, words clipped. "Now, if you could kindly remove your spear."

"And what of you?" She turned to Darcy, ignoring Loki's demand that she move the spear.

"Me?" Darcy asked, resisting the urge to step back away from the spear.

"You carry the signature of Asgard, and yet you are not of there, nor any realm known to me." The woman stated.

"I'm from Earth." Darcy said. "Or Midgard or whatever."

"You are human?" The woman said. "That is impossible, no human could have survived the journey here.

Darcy wanted to roll her eyes. With the exception of that battlefield, it really wasn't that hard.

"And what is it you seek here. Know that if you lie-"

"Enough." Loki said angrily, and the next thing Darcy knew, she'd been pulled away from the spear and was looking at a collection of Loki's surrounding the woman.

"You think to trick me?" The woman demanded. "You cannot duplicate your aura."

Even Darcy didn't know which Loki was real, until the woman staggered, Loki pulling his dagger out of her back.

"You dare-" She started, moving her spear towards him.

"I have had enough of your threats." Loki said, this time throwing the dagger at her neck.

She fell over immediately, and Loki pulled it free.

The Loki's surrounding her disappeared and Darcy gaped at him.

"You didn't have to kill her." Darcy said.

"No I didn't." He agreed. "However, she dared threaten your life while holding a blade to your neck." He stated like that was the obvious explanation.

"But…the book said she'd let us pass if we had noble reasons for getting in. She would have let us in." Darcy said.

"Your point?" Loki asked in agitation.

"That there was no need to kill her." Darcy said because she might have wanted to, but thinking it and actually doing it were two very different things.

"I have agreed to that point." Loki said.

"Then why did you?" Darcy demanded.

He turned on her, clearly irritated. "Because it was easier than listening to her. And despite whatever you may have convinced yourself I have no qualms with killing. I am not a good man nor have I ever pretended to be."

"If you're not a good man, then what are you doing here?" She retorted.

"You're decent enough in bed, it would be a shame if Hel murdered you." Loki said cruelly, not in his usual jokey way.

"Excuse me?" Darcy asked, too shocked to say anything else.

Loki arched an eyebrow. "You believed I was here out of some kind of affection?"

"You said you were." Darcy pointed out.

"I am the God of Lies for a reason." Loki snapped.

"Bullshit you're just acting like a little bitch because of the darkness." Darcy said.

"I am saying this, because I am weary with your delusions. You have clearly convinced yourself I am something other than what I am, due to your desire to justify your desire for me after all I have done is not as bad as it seems." Loki spat. "To clarify, I have no trouble with killing. I would love the chaos of Ragnarök. The reason I did not willingly agree to it was not some sudden sense of morality, but because I was tired of being a chess piece. I helped defeat the Dark Elves because they murdered my mother. Do not interpret my selfishness as goodness- if any good arises, I assure you it wasn't my intention, and was purely coincidental."

"Selfish, yes." Darcy replied angrily, offended at essentially being told her horniness had overridden any sense of reason. "But not evil."

Loki glared at her. "Are you truly this idiotic? I am causing Ragnarök."

Darcy rolled her eyes. "God, not this again, you have no choice."

"Had Hel not wanted me to act on her behalf, I would have relished this." Loki said. "You are unusually stupid, even for a Midgardian."

"And you're an idiot even for an Asgardian. Yes, that includes your brother." Darcy said, feeling no animosity towards Thor, but knowing it would annoy Loki. "Stop insulting me for not giving up on you, shut the fuck up and take me into Helheim."

"Your not giving up on me is precisely what makes you so idiotic." Loki snapped.

"You're the one that killed the guard. Won't the dead bridge guard be a bit of a giveaway that we're here?" She asked.

"I believe I have mentioned before that the moment we step foot in Helheim, Hel will know we are there." Loki said.

Darcy froze. Shit, he had mentioned that. But she'd forgotten. And she couldn't admit that because that was a pretty important thing to forget.

"So what do we do?" Darcy asked.

"How quickly can you find the Helm?" Loki asked, still annoyed but not as insulting as he had been earlier.

"The Helm?" Darcy asked, snorting.

"Yes, the source of her power. Did the book not mention it was the Helm of Darkness?" Loki asked, irritated.

"Nope." She said, suppressing a laugh.

"What is it?" He snapped.

"Hel's helm in Helheim?" Darcy asked.

"Yes?" Loki asked, clearly not understanding why she was so amused.

"Nothing, it just reminds me of my friend Sally. She sells seashells on the sea shore." Darcy giggled.

Loki frowned, clearly frustrated with her behaviour. "What do seashells have to do with this?"

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Don't worry. "  _Asgardians,_  she thought despairingly. "Anyway, the instructions in the book are pretty clear."

"They must be if you can follow them." Loki said before walking away.

Darcy couldn't even be bothered to reply, she simply rolled her eyes. Loki had been through a lot today, she could cut him a little slack in the moodiness department.

The land on the other side of the river felt harder and more hostile. As Darcy walked, she grew colder until she was certain she would be shivering if she didn't have the temperature regulating clothes on.

Still, she dug the brown leather-like jacket out of her bag and pulled it on. Loki raised an eyebrow at the sight.

"Really?" She asked, still kind of pissed with him. "And you say I'm the one thinking with my reproductive parts?"

Loki ignored her and stalked off.

It took them an hour to reach a small cave like building with a large, wrought iron gate like what would be found on some gothic Victorian house. It was swung open, and Darcy could see the steps leading down inside.

"Why's it open?" Darcy asked as they walked towards it.

"The way into Hel is easy." Loki said, stepping inside with Darcy following. The gate slammed shut behind them with a loud crash that made Darcy know that no amount of lock picking or ramming would open it again. "It is the way out that it is more difficult."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Deadly Weapon by This Century. In which Loki reverts to his usual defensive position of being a little bitch...
> 
> Please comment


	22. Act Like We Are Free

"Right." Darcy said as they were plunged into darkness. Not the impenetrable kind of darkness that they had been in earlier, this was the kind of dimness where objects were a darker black, and shadows were discernible though what was lurking in them remained a mystery. "Well, whenever people told me I was going to hell I never actually thought they were right."

"Who would tell  _you_ that you were going to hell?" Loki asked. She supposed it made sense, anything compared to his behaviour probably made her appear saint like.

"Honey, one day remind me to tell you about the Bible Belt in America." Darcy said but her voice fell flat. The whole place seemed oppressive and she shuddered at the thought of spending eternity here. That, and the tension between her and Loki felt impenetrable between them, he was being a prick and just because she knew why didn't mean she was happy about it, and she wasn't going to act like she was. Still, she thought as she looked round, perhaps there were more pressing issues at hand.

She was in the land of the dead. Like the actual land of the dead. She'd never thought anywhere like that even existed.

"Loki?" She asked.

"Yes?" He replied.

"Remember what you promised?" She asked. "About if we get caught?"

"I…"

"You won't have a problem with it, right? I'm just some girl you find good in bed?" She prompted. She needed to know he wouldn't get hurt as a part of her stupid plan, and if she had to use his own words against him, then so be it. She really didn't mean it spitefully but she had to know he was safe.

He was silent for a moment. "Yes."

"Good." She said. "Let's go then."

She started walking down the steps, Loki following her for once.

Hel kept the helm in the middle of the realm. There were ways to navigate and the book had given her a general idea of which way to go.

She didn't really know what she would do when she reached it, she just kind of figured that once she had it, she would have Hel's power, and Hel wouldn't be able to stop her.

The steps continued for a long time, and that was even with them running down them, not wanting to waste more time than they already had.

The steps levelled into a slope that eventually opened into a small chamber with two doors.

Darcy moved towards the left one, Loki not even questioning her judgement.

After this followed more halls with only a few turns. For the most part, Darcy chose those facing what in her mind was North West, where the centre of the realm ought to have been from their entrance.

The dude in the book had explained something about how the locations were symbolic of the sun and stuff, but she didn't really get that, so she really was just trusting in his word. In hindsight, she should have sought out a few more books and correlated the facts.

Then again in hindsight….

"This is wrong," Loki muttered. "Hel must know we are here by now."

"Maybe there was a distraction. Like maybe she went to Asgard looking for you or something." Darcy suggested.

"Let us hope so." Loki said, though she could tell he didn't really believe that. She didn't either because she knew the plan was ridiculously bad but as it was the only one they had she felt she had to have some hope for it.

For the most part, Helheim was like a dark cave, but occasionally Loki would wince or flinch. Twice Darcy heard sounds: one the sound of screaming, and one the sound of heavy chains dragging on the floor.

At those noises, Loki visibly shuddered.

"Are you all right?" Darcy asked.

"You cannot…?" He asked, looking around somewhat distractedly. "Of course. You do not belong here. There is a part of my soul that belongs in this realm now. It allows me to see what you cannot."

"What is it you can see?" Darcy asked.

"What is it you do?" He countered.

"Ummm, like a maze of rocky walls. Like what you saw when you first arrived in Helheim, but like corridors rather than a large room." Darcy said

"Then I will not tell you what it is that I see." Loki said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Darcy reached out and took his hand.

She felt his resistance at her touch, like he didn't want to be reminded of how vulnerable he felt. And he didn't squeeze back but he didn't pull away either.

As she walked further she heard more noises. Wailing and shrieking filled the air, and Loki went rigid.

"It's okay," She said. "We're almost there. The book said it gets worse the closer to the centre you get."

It took about ten more minutes for Darcy to finally come to a door, the only one so far that they'd seen.

"I was expecting more booby traps." Darcy said.

Loki glared at her, his bright eyes black with just the faintest hint of colour in the darkness. "Do not say that just yet."

Darcy pushed the door open, knowing Loki was barely holding on, and wanting to get this done sooner rather than later.

It swung open with ease, and she stepped in, Loki following after her.

His eyes were practically closed as he winced. The screaming in here made Darcy's head feel like it might crack. She could only imagine how it was for him.

But aside from that, it was simply an empty cave apart from a stone pillar, on which sat a black crown, curving and arching and menacing all at once. It radiated such power, that Darcy felt terrified of it.

She ran to it, letting go of Loki's hand. She could see it, and she wouldn't waste time with this.

Her hand shook as she reached towards it, as though it and the helm were two magnets repelling. She forced herself to get through it, and snatched at it.

Her hand passed through it and it disappeared.

"Darcy!" Loki shouted above the screaming. "We need to go."

"What?" She screamed back, running towards him. She didn't understand why her hand would pass through it. It was supposed to be there.

"It's a trap, we have to leave." Loki said, this time grabbing her hand and pulling her along.

"How?" She screamed back. She didn't know how to get out.

"There are ways." He retorted.

They ran out of the room, taking a different turning to the one they already had.

And then they froze, as they faced skeletons running towards them. Darcy was struck between laughter at the clichéd image, and terror at the thought they were being pursued.

Loki pulled her back and they turned a different way, running smack into more skeletons.

"Stop!" Darcy shouted at them. She waved her hand in front of her. "We are not the druids you are looking for!"

For a moment they paused, and Darcy took advantage of the situation to grab Loki and barge past the skeletons, knocking one of them over as they sprinted.

Where her shoulder had touched the skeleton, coldness seeped out, like she'd been injected with something to numb her. She swallowed. If that was just them brushing against her…what would happen if they caught her?

 _Ha, a brush with death_ , she thought.

 _Dude seriously?_  A voice in her head angrily said, knowing full well this was very bad timing.

Skeletal fingers raked across her back but Loki yanked her forwards, pulling her round the next bend.

"Can't you magic?" She screamed.

"The only magic here is Hel's." Loki yelled back.

More emerged, corpses this time, not skeletons, bits of rotten flesh still clinging to their exposed bones. These weren't brainless zombies though, they were alert and moving for them quickly.

Darcy turned, the undead running at them from every direction.

"Can we fight?" Darcy asked, reaching for her knife.

"They are already dead." Loki said. "We can't hurt them more."

Most of the skeletons in front of her were brainless, so no standard zombie cure.

Loki squeezed her hand before his hand slipped from hers. "We surrender." He said holding his hands up.

But they didn't care. They didn't even seem to hear.

Fingers grabbed at her, skeletal pinching fingers that made her want to scream and throw up all at once. But the coldness washed over her once more, darkness that filled her from the inside out. Her knees buckled and she choked on the darkness.

* * *

 

Darcy had the oddest feeling of being vaguely conscious. She knew very much that she wasn't but she maintained a sense of awareness about her person like someone on the verge of waking. And whilst this wasn't that vivid she had a feeling of terror and despair. She could feel the dead hands grabbing at her and her repulsion though muted was still there.

And then all at once, she was conscious. No gradual waking but like she'd been slammed back into consciousness.

Her eyes shot open, and she saw she was in a room that was as breathtakingly beautiful as it was terrifying. It was identical to Odin's throne room, with wide ornate pillars and huge steps leading to the throne. Only instead of gold, it was a glistening, intimidating shade of black.

Her eye's had barely been open a second before she gasped with pain, her wrists burning from the freezing hand cuffs that bound them behind her back. She blinked back tears, and saw Hel saunter towards the middle of the room. She looked exactly as she had in Loki's memory, half her face rotten and half breathtakingly beautiful.

She looked at Darcy with smug condescension.

Darcy was on her knees, kneeling at Hel's feet. Her stomach twisted in disgust and humiliation at the thought of being forced into such a respectful, subservient position to someone she hated with a fierce disgust. This was the woman who wanted the world to end so that she could have more power. The woman who saw people's souls as fuel. The woman who was blackmailing Loki, manipulating him into being someone he hated.

Darcy wasn't scared, and that terrified her more than being at Hel's mercy. Because she knew she ought to have been petrified. She knew Hel could kill her and condemn her to an eternity spent in misery but Darcy didn't care. At that moment, she was too filled with hatred to think of anything else. God, what was she thinking coming here? It was so obvious this was how it would end, but she just had to believe that she could be the exception…

Darcy tried to stand, but she couldn't. She couldn't even move her legs.

Hel smirked at her. "The Asgardian's whore."

 _Bitch please, if anything he's my whore_.

"The Asgardians' outcast." Darcy spat back.

Hel's smile faltered for a split second. Darcy's body tensed, prepared for whatever rage she would throw at her.

To her surprise, Hel smiled wider. "Good. We understand each other then."

Darcy raised an eyebrow, having no clue what Hel was talking about, but not wanting to admit that. "You could never understand me. Or anyone living. Don't try to kid yourself, you've spent too long living in this darkness for that."

"Believe me," Hel said with a smile. "I would never wish to understand someone like that."

Darcy glared at her and she continued.

"I meant we understood each other in the sense that you would not try to beg your way through this. I can't stand the simpering whines of the living." Hel said. "Nor are you trying to hide your hatred from me, though some more respect might help your situation."

"I'd say over my dead body, but I have a feeling you don't really see that as much of an obstacle." Darcy commented. She didn't know why she was provoking Hel in such a way, she just knew she was annoyed and cared more about shouting at Hel than anything else.

That was probably where she and Loki differed most, she decided. He'd be all silvertongued, with carefully thought out answers to get him the best results. Darcy simply didn't care, and didn't have much restraint at the best of times in terms of what she wanted to say.

"I do not know whether this is a peculiar tactic, or if you are truly as stupid as your current recklessness leads me to believe." Hel said, walking round so that the bottom of her dress swirled. "However, you may wish to observe your situation. Judging from the way you are behaving, I am guessing you are not adverse to honesty, and I expect I do not have to remind you of what I can make happen should you lie to me."

Darcy remembered Hel saying to Loki she could tell when someone lied to her, and the sudden memory reminded Darcy that her life wasn't the only one at stake here. Loki and Frigga were both at stake too.

"So," Hel continued. "What is it you came here for?"

"I…" Darcy said not knowing what would be best to say. She'd never tried to worm her way out of trouble. She normally just accepted it and went down swinging. "I wanted to stop Ragnarök." She admitted, knowing she was condemning herself to the worst of Hel's extensive range of punishments. "I know that's what you're trying to cause, and I figured it out by the way, Loki didn't tell me, I swear. Anyway, so I thought if I could get to Helheim, then I'd be able to stop it, but Loki came after me telling me it was a suicide mission, and trying to stop me."

Hel watched her impassively, and Darcy tried not to blink too much or avoid eye contact or any other tell-tale signs that she wasn't telling the whole truth.

"You were headed for the throne room. What is it you expected to find there?" Hel asked.

Darcy frowned. "Isn't this the throne room. Anyway, isn't that where you'd usually be?"

"I will come to that. You were looking for me? Your plan to stop Ragnarök was to kill me?" She asked.

"No. I mean, you can't die, can you? I just…Ragnarök is wrong. So many people will die, and I get that they will be here, but there's a reason surely that living and dying are separate even if there's a life after death. Living is…it's so incomparable to an eternity spent here. Please, you can't."

"Do not tell me what I can and cannot do." Hel snapped. "People will die anyway, why not now? So the Asgar- Jötun had not part in this plan?"

The plan? Darcy stopped from smiling. Excellent phrasing there, Hel. "No." She said with sincerity. "No, he didn't. He just tried to stop me and then…well there's only one way through the road, he couldn't return."

"So it was just you. Give me one reason I should not just condemn you to the worst of this realm's parts."

Darcy shrugged. "Well, you're going to do it anyway, right?"

Hel smirked once more. It wasn't a self-deprecating or amused smirk like Loki's. Hel's smirk was a thousand times scarier, a deadly reminder she had the upper hand.

"Eventually, first I have something much better planned for you. But first, let us see to the Asgardian." Hel turned to face the door and closed her eyes. A moment later two skeletons dragged in a stumbling Loki, his hands too were bound behind his back and while his expression was impassive, she saw the tension in his limbs that told her he was worried about the situation.

They led him to next to Darcy and she longed to touch him, a reassuring brush of his skin against hers to remind both of them that they weren't alone.

"Kneel." Hel said, smirking as though she knew full well what that word meant to Loki, how much his pride would hurt at the command.

Loki fell to his knees as though he had no choice. As he did so, Darcy saw his handcuffs were not metal, but white and oddly shiny. As she saw this, Darcy realised hers did not feel like normal handcuffs either- although she was mainly used to fur lined ones. She really hoped they weren't bone like they felt, but it was Hel and she wouldn't put that past her.

"You had no part in the plan of this mortal?" Hel demanded.

Loki looked quickly at Darcy before glancing away, unable to meet her gaze. "No. I tried to stop her."

Hel nodded and turned to Darcy. "You will help him."

"Umm, excuse me?" Darcy asked.

"You tried to stop Ragnarök. What better punishment than to have you aid in its occurrence." Hel asked.

"Ummm, a stern warning?" Darcy suggested.

"You will watch your world burn, knowing you aided in its destruction." Hel said.

"No, I really won't." Darcy snapped. "Do your worst, I'm not going to."

Hel grinned like Christmas had come early. "Oh, I do love it when they protest. I am the goddess of the dead. Even mortals, I am sure, care for their dead ancestors and loved ones."

Darcy's stomach clenched. No…

Hel waved her hand and her dad appeared in front of her. Darcy's eyes widened, and despite her fear for his safety she couldn't help the trill of happiness that went through her. She never thought she'd see her Dad again.

"Darce?" He frowned at her, his blue eyes squinting through their glasses. Her eyes were the same colour, so familiar to her.

"Dad?" She asked, her voice full and choked.

"You're not…you're not dead are you?" He asked, sounding terrified.

"No." Darcy said at the same time Hel said: "Debatable."

Darcy glared at her, and turned back to her father. "I'm fine Dad, I love you."

And with effort that was almost too much she turned back to Hel and nodded. Hel waved her hand and her Dad disappeared.

"What did you mean 'debatable'?" Darcy spat at Hel. She could feel any control she had over the situation slipping, and her helplessness was pushing her to the verge of frustrated tears. Instead, she channelled it to anger, glaring at Hel with hatred she didn't think she'd ever felt towards anyone ever before.

"Well, a lot of people think it's a simple line between death and life. You're either one or the other." Hel said patronizingly, like she was explaining mathematics to a child and not addressing her prisoners. "But well…look at the Trickster here."

Goosebumps rolled over her skin and she refrained from shuddering.

"You haven't-" Loki started before Darcy could speak.

"Silence." Hel spat at him. "You are lucky you are not being cast into eternal torment, let alone your mother."

Loki swallowed, the threat forcing him into silence.

"So what," Darcy asked, voice filled with anger. "I'm dead now?"

Hel turned to Darcy as though shocked she had the nerve to interrupt. Darcy tried not to look at the skeletal part of her face. "My creatures have the touch of death. Had they touched you anywhere else, your soul would have been sent here immediately. As you were already here, it simply drained you, and in doing so cemented a part of your soul here."

Darcy's eyes widened despite herself.

Hel grinned, the look grotesque given that on half her face her jawbone just flopped open. "Well, why do you think you are seeing the throne room like this? Decidedly different to how it first appeared to you."

So this really was the place she'd looked for? She wondered where the helm was, but she couldn't subtly ask without bringing up her knowledge of it.

"So what now?" Darcy asked, wishing Hel would just get to the point "Part of me belongs here now. So? Stop beating around the bush and get to the point, you skeletal bitch."

Hel's lips tightened and she twisted her hand. Darcy felt something inside her twist, no physical part but she could feel it definitely twisting and it sent a wave of agony through her body. She gasped in pain.

"Stop." Loki said, fury in his voice but Darcy barely heard him.

"It means I can control you, human." Hel's voice shattered through the pain and as she finished her sentence the pain lifted, leaving Darcy feeling like she'd been thoroughly wrung out.

"And you," Hel turned on Loki. Darcy was too busy panting to say anything. "Those wounds ought to have left you incapacitated for days. What happened?"

"They were treated." Loki said through gritted teeth like he didn't want Hel to know about Darcy's involvement.

"And you did not think to inform me? Or to move onto the next stage of the preparations as is your purpose?" Hel asked. "Instead, you chose to chase after an idiotic mortal?"

"I have done everything you've asked." Loki hissed. "My purpose is not dictated by you."

Hel smiled but there was ice in her eyes. "Let me make one thing abundantly clear," Hel walked forward and grasped Loki's chin in her bone hand. She forced him to look up at her, kneeling at her feet. "The only reason you are alive is this. Ragnarök is your destiny whether you like it or not. Stop behaving like the child who dropped from the Bifröst. You are a Frost Giant. You are a monster. You are not the hero nor were you ever meant to be."

Loki looked like there was nothing he would love more than to stab her. Darcy hoped if anything made him want to argue with that it would be Hel saying it.

"Now, you might have managed to trick the queen into loving you, but rest assured she is the only one. You are a burden on all others. Stop running from your destiny and embrace it. Stop pretending to be elsewise and be who you were always destined to be." Hel spat, dropping Loki's jaw with disgust.

"Don't listen to her Loki." Darcy said, glaring at Hel. "She's-

"Enough." Hel hissed and Darcy's jaw clamped shut.

"You are right." Loki said. "I am all of that. And I accept that. But I will choose which chaos I embrace. Force me to cause Ragnarök if you wish, but do not pretend it is my choice."

Hel rolled her eye and Darcy felt like she might throw up. "Such pretences to nobility…you are going to do this anyway." Hel said. "I simply thought you might like to enjoy it. Oh, don't get me wrong, I adore this. It is one thing to have you willing at my feet and another to have you forced against your will. Perhaps for another, I might wish them willing but the control I feel from making you do it?" Hel grinned. "There is something rather invigorating about having one who plays by his own rules forced to oblige by mine."

_Okay, so maybe Hel needed to try BDSM rather than universe destruction…_

She stalked forwards. "So you will cause Ragnarök. You will follow the stages. You will do these without any attempt to sabotage or postpone them. Or your mother…well, I think you know. It is your choice."

Loki's jaw tightened. "I made my choice, as you are well aware. I suggest you stop gloating over your power over us, and return us so that we may complete the next stage."

"A wise decision." Hel said before turning to Darcy. "And you? You may speak now."

Darcy had a lot of things she wanted to stay but the image of her Dad was still ingrained in her mind. "Well, it's like Loki said. It's not really a choice. Return us and…yeah we'll try to do this."

Hel grinned and turned away. "Go then, both of you." She waved her hands and the cuffs around her wrists fell off, clattering to the floor. "Oh, and should you tell anyone else about this, I will kill them."

With that, Hel left the room.

They both clambered to their feet. Darcy started shaking.

Loki placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "It is fine, Darcy." He said. "You will not have to do anything. I shall do it myself."

Darcy shook her head. "That's not any better, and you know it."

"No it's not." He agreed. "But I don't see that we have much choice."

And Darcy knew he was right and she knew that crying or having a breakdown about it wouldn't help. She needed to think it through. There had to be some way out of it, right?

"Can you get us back?" Darcy asked. Here in Helheim, the situation seemed all too real and far too scary.

Loki nodded. "Yes, Hel granted me that ability just now. I believe she felt it might sting more if it was I who had to bring us back."

"We're so screwed Loki." Darcy said, not even having the heart to add her usual 'and not in the good way'.

"Yes," Loki said, taking her hand. "But if it makes you feel any better, at this point I think the whole universe is."

Darkness suddenly surrounded them as the floor disappeared beneath her. The only thing she was conscious of was Loki's hand in hers.

And then her feet slammed into the floor again and she was left staring around at the familiar sight of Loki's room.

Only it wasn't empty like it usually was.

Jane, Thor, the Warriors Three and –  _oh god_ \- Odin were there. Their mouths gaped at the sight of them, Jane's eyes wide and staring at Loki's hand holding hers.  
Darcy's lips fumbled to explain that it was Loki who she was banging, not the hot guard, when she realised that the others were simply staring open mouthed at Loki.

Then she remembered she was the only one who knew he was alive.

She turned to Loki, at a loss for what to stay.

Loki frowned like the situation was merely a little unfortunate. "So, I'm alive." He said before shrugging. "Surprise."

Odin recovered first. "Guards!" He yelled. "Arrest them!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Hell And Back by Tonight Alive. Umm....yeah.... Sorry it's been a while since I updated, uni is stressful 
> 
> Please review


	23. All Against The One

Well, they were going to discover it eventually. Loki had always known that. Of course he'd hoped for a little more happiness rather than anger, but that had only ever been a slight thought.

After all, it was hardly his first time revealing that he was alive. Thor had been happy last time, though that didn't say much, as the fool rarely thought anything through. He'd been subjugating the land Thor loved at the time, and while he wasn't happy about it he'd still seemed more than relieved to find Loki alive.

Then again he always had been a sentimental fool.

The Allfather on the other hand, had made it ever clear during that farce he called a trial that in his mind Loki was better off dead than acting against his wishes.

Loki rolled his eyes as the guards pulled his hands behind his back. "What?" He asked. "No happy reunion?"

Loki surveyed the scene in front of him. Odin's face was a mask as it so often was, but Loki had long since learned how to read it. He was annoyed. Loki almost laughed. At least that was familiar. And angry of course. How dare Loki be alive when he'd finally got rid of him? The son who had only ever been a source of disappointment.

Sif looked like she would be very happy to remedy the current situation by returning their previous held belief he was dead. It wouldn't be the first time her fingers had been itching for a sword when around him.

Volstagg was glancing between Loki and Thor, clearly more concerned about how the latter would react. Fandral simply looked shocked. Jane looked more concerned for Darcy, clearly terrified that he had led her astray.

Which he had, Loki realised with sudden self-hatred. Were it not for him Darcy would not be involved in this right now. Of course it was partly her fault but he couldn't blame her for not wanting the universe to burn. He'd tried to distance himself from her several times she just always managed to worm her way back in.

Why should he be blamed for that?

And despite that logic, he knew he was to blame. Hel was right. He was a monster and everyone he cared for burned. He was toxic, and his mother and Darcy would pay the price for their proximity to him.

"Guys, seriously, there's a perfectly normal explanation for this." The woman in question said as guards pulled handcuffs onto her too. Loki found he wasn't as angry as he otherwise would be at their treatment of the mortal who ought not to have been involved in this. At least the chains were metal and not bone infused with Hel's magic.

Loki's eyes skipped to those whose he had most been avoiding. Thor. He could barely meet the others' eyes for what he saw there was a mix of sadness, anger and betrayal. Loki wanted to scream the truth: that he didn't want to do this. That he hadn't faked his death, that his apology hadn't been feigned.

But the truth was that he was causing the end of the world, whether he wanted to or not. And yes, his apology may have been the truth, but Thor shouldn't have believed it. Truth or not, he was an idiot to believe in him.

Loki's jaw set. If Thor was going to act wounded, he was an imbecile. Such things as this should no longer come as a surprise.

The chains around his wrists in place, the guards pushed him forwards. Loki made no effort to resist, he was used to such treatment by now.

They led him past the collected assembly and Loki smirked as he walked past. He had learned a long time ago that acting like something was exactly what he wanted to happen unnerved people.

And really what could they do to him? At best they would imprison him. He would manage to break out. Although he may require the assistance of Hel but if she wanted her apocalypse he had no doubt she would manage it. And at worst they killed him.

Loki almost laughed as memories of his "trial"- though he used the term very loosely- flitted through his head.

 

" _Your birth right was to die as a child!" Odin hissed and despite himself the words hit him like a punch. He knew, he knew that his fath- the Allfather felt like that and yet to hear it be said so viciously and so blatantly stung him. "Cast out on a frozen rock. If I had not taken you in, you would not be here now to hate me."  
_

_And did that matter? Loki would be dead if Odin hadn't taken him in. Was he supposed to be grateful? His life had been nothing but striving to be equal to Thor in the eyes of someone who would never see him that way. Was he supposed to be thankful for that life? Did it matter how he was treated if the alternative was death?  
_

_Loki was exhausted of Odin's excuses. Of the hypocrisy of the whole damn planet. "If I am for the axe, then, for mercy's sake, just swing it."  
_

_His mother gasped into her hands and it was almost enough to make him wish he didn't mean those words._

 

What would Hel have done then? She could hardly have ignored an axe through his neck the same way she couldn't ignore a spear through his chest.

And if he hadn't been sent to the dungeon, he never would have told them which way to go…his mother would still be alive. Hel would have had no leverage against him. But then if they had killed him he would have loved the opportunity to destroy the universe of his own will. Perhaps he really was destined for this.

Well, there was no point lingering on that now. The universe would end and all they could do was hope Hel made Helheim nice for them all. At least he would be with his mother again.

The guards made no comments the way they had last time. They were clearly too scared by him being alive to taunt him about his being sent to the dungeons.

And still he didn't care. He'd been so scared about what Hel would do to his mother and Darcy that this was nothing in comparison.

He barely realised when they arrived in the dungeons. The guards deactivated the wall of energy and pushed him forward into the cell, before unlocking his handcuffs.

The guard reactivated the energy shield and left. Loki glanced round the cell. It was the same one he had had last time. The books his mother had sent him were even still there.

He stared at them knowing that no matter how much he might want to tell Thor the truth, he could not. Some things were just too important.

And as though the thought summoned him Loki heard the energy wall once again deactivate.

And before he could register what was happening, hands were round his neck and he was lifted off the floor. His back slammed against the wall, and he saw the look of pained rage on his brother's face as he gasped for breath.

Loki scratched at the hands stopping him from breathing as he struggled against Thor.

His brother watched him without blinking.

Loki reached for his dagger before remembering the guards had unarmed him. Just as his vision began to waver, Thor dropped him and he fell to the floor in an ungraceful heap.

"So it  _is_  you." Thor said.

"Of course it's me, you dolt." Loki said, ruefully rubbing at his neck as he climbed to his feet. He'd had enough of kneeling to Hel, he wasn't going to look up to his brother as well. "How exactly was strangling me going to prove who I was?"

"It proved you were real." Thor said. "It proved you were actually here."

"You thought you were seeing things?" Loki asked. "How sweet. I'm honoured."

"You think this a game, Loki?" Thor shouted. "I thought you were dead! Again. You died in front of me. Again. Tell me how much pain must you put us all through before it is enough?"

Loki rolled his eyes. "You just strangled me Thor, I don't think you are one to talk."

"You still make jokes?" Thor demanded. He breathed deeply and glanced away. "Do you have any idea how upset father and I were?"

Well given that Loki had been disguised in the throne room, he did in fact have a rather good grasp on that. "Yes, as I recall you were devastated. So many tears shed on my behalf."

"You believe I did not mourn you?" Thor snapped. "In my eyes you had finally redeemed yourself, and in doing so it was even worse. Your dying words have haunted my nightmares and you expect me to not be angry to find you faked it all?"

"Yes, yes, I know you forgave me, or whatever your equivalent of it is. What is it you said to me? 'Loki died with honour. I shall try to live the same.' I was very touched." Loki walked away, feeling too trapped by Thor's looming presence. And he hated every word he flung at Thor like daggers but he couldn't stop. Better for Thor to think him irredeemable than to know the truth.

"That was you?" Thor demanded. "You faked your death so that you could impersonate father?"

"Your father." Loki corrected almost automatically. "And I really don't understand why you are so upset."

"You…you do not understand?" Thor stuttered in anger. "We care for you-"

"Well don't." Loki snapped, oddly aware of how it was the same reply he had given to Miss Lewis that time she had said she cared about him. How many times must he prove himself untrustworthy before these idiots learnt?

"You think it that simple?" Thor asked.

"It certainly was for me." Loki snapped. He saw the brief flash of hurt in Thor's eyes but instead of the triumph he usually felt at causing Thor pain, he felt a twinge of guilt.

Couldn't Hel have asked him to cause Ragnarök a year ago? He would have reveled in it.

"Well perhaps not all of us can let go so easily." Thor said.

"Well perhaps some of us are stronger than others." Loki sneered in return.

Thor shook his head sadly. "You have no idea."

Loki said nothing, and the silence lingered between them like the truth of his parentage had for years.

"So how did you do it?" Thor asked.

"A duplicate." Loki answered simply, wincing as the words left his mouth and thankful his back was to Thor. It would be so easy to say that he had fallen unconscious. That he had thought he was dying.

But that would mean Thor would believe those things he had said to be truth. And Loki could not do that, and then have Thor discover he was currently causing Ragnarök. It was definitely better to not let him get his hopes up.

"Why?" Thor asked.

"Why did I pretend to die rather than follow you back to the dungeons?" Loki asked, filling his words with sarcasm. "Well Thor, why don't I think about that for a moment?"

"You let us believe you were dead simply so you would not have to endure a mild punishment below what you deserved?" Thor demanded.

"Thor, is it really shocking to you that I chose my own comfort before your happiness? You may be a bigger idiot than I believed." Loki said dismissively.

"What happened to you?" Thor asked.

Loki frowned. That was rather an all-encompassing question. "On Svartalfheim?"

"In the void." Thor answered. Loki stared at him in shock. Well, that certainly wasn't what he'd expected Thor to say.

"And why does that have anything to do with this?" Loki asked.

"Because I thought you were dead and…there were many things I regretted about what happened between us, Loki. That was one. I brought you back to Asgard to face justice and I left, I even grew angry with mother when I learnt that she still spoke to you." Thor said.

"Your point?" Loki asked.

"My point is that I knew you were working for another. I knew the moment I first spoke to you on Midgard that you were not the same brother who had let go on the Bifröst, that someone was controlling you. Yet my rage for your acts on Midgard pushed that from my mind." Thor asked. "So what happened in the void?"

Loki smirked, but inside he seethed. Thor had no right to ask that. Loki…Loki did not even wish to think of it. In the day, he pretended it had never happened and at night he avoided sleep and accepted the inevitable nightmares. More often than not, he woke in a cold sweat, but he could at least ward his room to stop his screams from being heard.

"You wish for me to say I was forced into acting." The smirk turned into a full grin as his hands curled into fists. How dare Thor bring up so casually that which had haunted him for months? "That the choice was not mine. You wish for me to say that I was merely a victim of what occurred."

"I wish for you to tell me the truth." Thor snapped. "Enough taunting, tell me what happened."

Loki shrugged. "Well, I am sorry to disappoint. All I found was the means to bring about my vengeance on the planet you loved. Nothing more. It was all my own doing."

Thor narrowed his eyes. "You were insane. That was not simply you finding the means to an army."

"You call it insanity?" Loki asked. "I call it being what I was made to be."

"Made by who?" Thor asked.

"By everyone on Asgard." Loki spat. "Are you going to keep prattling on about that incident on Midgard?"

"That incident?" Thor thundered. "Thousands of people died, Loki!"

"Yes Thor, I'm aware, it's what I was in the dungeons for wasn't it?"

"And you will not tell me who made you-"

"I have told you no one made me do anything!" Loki answered, growing angry that Thor wouldn't believe him. He was lying of course but he would not have Thor's pity. Even if he were not being forced into acting by Hel, even if he were trying to reconcile with his brother he would never tell Thor such details. Even then he would not want to see pity in his brother's eyes.

"And you are lying!" Thor retorted. "You believe you are the only one who knows how to read the other? You may deny that you are my brother but that does not change the fact that we were raised together and I know your tricks, Loki."

"And yet you did not see through me faking my death?" Loki frowned. "Not that perceptive it seems."

Thor shook his head. "You find joy in our suffering yet you think I believe nothing happened to you in the void?"

"If I recall correctly, I tried to kill you before that." Loki pointed out.

"You call that an attempt to kill me? You sent the destroyer, Loki." Thor sounded very judgmental. "It would hardly be the first one I easily destroyed."

Loki shrugged. "You were mortal at the time. I underestimated you."

Thor's lips tightened. "You are lying. Again. Very well, you will not tell me what happened to you in the void. Perhaps you will tell me what it is you are doing now?"

"Having a very boring discussion with you, do try to keep up." Loki answered.

"Loki," Thor said through gritted teeth. Loki loved hearing his name said like that. "You know full well what I meant."

"I have no idea." Loki answered. "I have been doing nothing but avoiding being captured and returned here. Why? What is it you imagine me doing?"

"You think me a fool?" He asked.

"You know that I do." Loki said irritated. "You ask that question far too often."

"We were in your room. Have you not thought of why that might be?" Thor asked.  
Well no, actually he hadn't _. Idiot_ , he cursed at himself. He was too busy worrying about what Hel would say and this confrontation and the result of him being discovered that he hadn't thought about why he had been discovered in the first place.

"Well no I'm waiting for you to tell me." Loki said, feigning innocence.

"Someone stole the Casket of Ancient Winters from the vault. Someone returned it to the Frost Giants who have since used it on the nine realms. When we went to Jotunheim, we learnt that that someone was you." Thor said in irritation. "Of course, at the time we thought you dead and so we sought an alternate explanation. We managed to find someone with the ability to trace magic who led us back to your room where you appeared. Do you deny this?"

Loki frowned in consideration before nodding. "No, that sounds about right."

"And you feel that is nothing? Why did you do it?" Thor demanded.

Loki tilted his head to the side. "Well it was just a bit of fun really."

Thor froze and looked at him with sudden harshness. "Had this happened years ago I would have believed you. Now, I find it difficult to believe your mischief was purely for mischief's sake. What is your true intent?"

"My intent was to avoid the dungeons. I was bored, so I stole the casket. Are you happy?" Loki asked.

"Oddly enough, no." Thor snapped and Loki almost laughed at hearing his brother attempt to use sarcasm. "You are always plotting something. Obviously you are not going to tell me, but rest assured I will find out what it is."

"I will just wait here then until you do." Loki mocked.

"You expect me to let you go?" Thor asked. "Whether you would be returned to the dungeons was not even a question on Svartalfheim, with the knowledge you stole the Casket it is very obvious here is where you belong."

"Are you sentencing me, Thor?" Loki asked.

"No, you will be brought before father. He will decide." Thor said.

"And should he choose to execute me?" Loki asked.

Thor was silent, watching Loki with a pained expression. "Then that is his decision." Thor said at last, the words stinging even though Loki knew Thor would never allow that to happen. "And brother," Thor started. "I do not know how you know Miss Lewis, I do not know what you were doing with her but if you hurt her I will personally secure such a punishment."

Loki found himself relieved rather than annoyed. At least someone would protect her, if Thor was willing to kill him for hurting Darcy it boded well for what he might do to Hel.  
Instead, he rolled his eyes. "So dramatic, brother. Honestly what do you imagine I did with the wench?" He could almost hear her scandalised "Excuse me?!" at his calling her such, but better Thor not suspect too much between them. He didn't want her condemned by association.

"I do not know what you could possibly want with her. Have you involved her with your plot?" He asked.

_Brother you have no idea…_

"Well she's good in bed but not quite collaboration material." Loki said.

"In…In bed?" Thor stuttered. "You did not…"

"Oh, do grow up. Do not tell me the future king of Asgard still proudly displays the notches in his bedpost like it is a competition." Loki said.

"She is a lot…louder than your normal type."

Loki smiled wickedly. "Oh, I am aware."

Thor laughed heartily and for a moment it was like they were back to how they used to be, Loki making crude innuendos out of Thor's bold accounts of bedding.

Thor sobered quickly, shattering the thin illusion.

"Darcy deserves better than you. Stay away from her." Thor said.

Well, he definitely agreed but it was a bit late for that. "Well I can hardly reach her from here. Unless you wish to send her for visits. I'm unsure whether that bed would hold."

Thor's lip twitched but it was at odds with the sadness in his eyes as he looked at him.

"For what it is worth, I am glad you are alive." Really? What did Loki have to do to convince everyone they'd be better off without him. "But that is the part of me that longs for my brother back. Clearly you are still the monster wearing his skin. If you have caused any more destruction-"

"Save the threats. I understand. Now leave." Loki snapped. Less than a second ago, he had been wishing for Thor to give up on him. Now he had. It made no sense for him to be hurt.

Thor's lips tightened but he did as Loki said, the energy barrier going straight back up leaving Loki only able to watch as his brother walked away. And his words were ringing in Loki's head. Very well, if they – his brother, Hel, Thanos, every damn creature in the god forsaken universe- thought him a monster then he would be one once more. He would fulfill their expectations of what they thought or needed him to be.

And they would burn for it.

* * *

 

For the second time that day, she had been handcuffed. For the second time in her life, she had been handcuffed without having awesome sex.

Darcy decided she much preferred her usual uses for handcuffs. For one there was a fun distraction from how much they pinched.

"Take her to the side chamber of the Throne room." Odin said. "I would like to deal with the mortal quickly."

The guard pulled her along and for the first time in her life Darcy found she could think of nothing to say.

Did they know about Hel? Did they think she had something to do with the stuff Loki had done? Or was she simply under arrest for knowing Loki?

Thor stormed past her, barely glancing in his direction and heading in the direction they had just dragged Loki.

"Thor!" Odin called after him.

"I do not care, father." Thor hissed. "I must…He is alive…"

Luckily it was just a short walk to the throne room.

The guard unlocked her right handcuff and connected it to the arm of the chair she was sat in.

"Sire, forgive my asking but why do this here?" Volstagg asked.

"I do not want today's revelations made public." Odin explained before turning to her. "How long have you known Loki was alive?"

Well at least this would be a direct interrogation. No emotional stuff…oh God she'd have to talk to Jane.

"About a month." Darcy confessed. Had it really only been so short a time? Though she supposed a lot had happened.

"And yet you spoke nothing of him for all this time?" Odin asked.

"He…" She didn't want to incriminate him but…well one of them had to be free to do stuff for Hel or it would be both their parents who paid for it. "He put a charm or a curse or something on me. I couldn't let anyone know he was alive. I tried."

Odin waited a moment before he asked his next question. He could tell the others were itching to ask questions of their own but none would dare interrupt the Allfather.

"And how did you discover he was alive?" Odin asked.

Darcy figured she might as well stick as close to the truth as possible. "Thor told me I could get books from his room. I didn't realise he would still be in there."

"So you discovered him, and he cursed you. Any sane person would have avoided him and yet you have been missing for days and return with him." Odin said.

"I…Well I was the only one who knew he was alive and it was Loki so…well he said he couldn't kill me because then you'd find out he was alive, so I figured if I was the only one who knew, and if Loki couldn't kill me, then I was the only one who could maybe stop him from doing anything too bad, or at least find out if he was plotting anything and try to do that."

"You seemed rather at ease around him when you appeared with him." Odin said.

 _Well, it's kind of hard to be scared of someone when you've sucked their icy blue dick,_  she thought though oddly enough it was not something she felt she ought to say to Odin.

"Well he would hardly tell me what he was up to if I wasn't nice to him." Darcy pointed out. And heck if she was going to do this she was going to do it properly. Darcy rattled the handcuff. "And by the way you're welcome."

"So did you discover what it was he was planning?" Odin asked, ignoring her remark.

Darcy paused, considering what they would believe. She had to say he was up to something but not something as bad as what he was actually doing. What did they know? Well now Loki was alive they had probably connected that it was him that stole the Casket of Ancient Winters. Maybe she should start from there.

"That's the thing, from what I could gather it was just harmless pranks. Messing with the servants and stuff. And he stole the Casket of Ancient Winters and gave it to the Jotuns, well at least I'm pretty sure it was him-"

"It was." Fandral said. "We traced it back to his room."

Odin glared at him and Fandral muttered an apology.

Odin gestured for her to go on.

"Well that's it, I think. I didn't find out until after he'd stolen it, obviously. That's where we were, he was showing me the effects of the casket." Darcy said. She wrinkled her nose.

"Like he was proud of it or something."

Odin scrutinised her for a few moments. Darcy's skin itched. How dare that farce of a king look at her like that.

"If you are telling the truth, you have done a noble thing. However, we have no way of knowing if what you say is truthful." Odin said.

"And if I'm lying is that a crime anyway? Knowing Loki?" Darcy asked, careful not to hiss the words as she so wished.

"If you are lying you may very well be a conspirator in his plans." Odin thundered.

Darcy snorted. "Do you really think Loki of all people would let a mortal conspire with him?"

"The fact remains that no one can vouch for your-"

"I will." Fandral said.

Odin turned to him sharply. "You would vouch that this mortal speaks the truth."

Fandral nodded.

"As would I." Volstagg said.

"And I." Sif added with a sharp nod at Darcy.

"Me too." Jane said. "Though I don't know if a goat can vouch for another goat." She added under her breath.

Odin paused, jaw set tightly. Clearly he was unhappy with not getting to throw her in a cell.

"Very well however if she lies, on your head be it. Now if you will excuse me I must go speak to Loki." He said the name with difficulty and disgust and Darcy wanted to throw a chair at him.

The guard unlocked her handcuff and the others grinned at her, clearly expecting her to be thankful for their faith and support And she was, she was very thankful that they trusted her. It was the punch of guilt to her stomach that occurred as a result that made her wish she was thrown in a cell instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from You're Gonna Go Far Kid by The Offspring. Sorry updates are slow at the moment life is stressful. Anyway sassy Loki is fun, I hope you liked reading it as much as I liked writing it. 
> 
> Please review.


	24. Too Proud To Breathe

As she could have probably have expected, she was bombarded with questions the moment Odin was out the door.

"You have been meeting with Loki?" gasped Sif.

"Is that where you have been when you were not in the library?" Asked Fandral.

"And how did Loki handle…well, you?" Volstagg added.

Darcy fidgeted in the chair. Just when she thought the interrogation was over, she realised it had only truly begun.

"Ummm, well yes. Yes. And not very happily?" Darcy attempted to answer.

"And he did not give up and murder you?" Sif asked. "That seems to be his approach these days."

"I think he contemplated it a few times." Darcy said. "But I was persistent."

"Why? I would have put as much distance between myself and him as possible in your position." Volstagg said.

Darcy shrugged. "Come on he's not that bad."

"Not that bad?" Sif asked incredulously. "He tried to enslave your planet."

He was forced to, she wanted to say. He was insane, she thought. It was a way to escape, she decided, a way to death.

And holy shit, when did she start defending him? She had always tended more towards Loki had done some shit but he'd also done some good stuff so as far as she was concerned she'd take him as he was in that moment. And now she was finding excuses for him?

He doesn't care about people dying, she reminded herself. Well no, he does now. He doesn't want to cause Ragnarök. And he apologised to Thor so doesn't that mean he kind of regretted it?

Not…not that that made things okay.

"Well yeah," She said at last. "But he also helped save it from the Dark Elves."

"Had the Dark Elves succeeded, he would have died too." Fandral pointed out.

Yeah but he was kind of hoping for that, Darcy thought. "Oh come on, he did it for Frigga and you know it."

"Well yes, there is no denying that." Fandral said.

"I do not know, I believe he also did it to escape the cell." Volstagg added.

Oh yeah, how dare he want out of the dungeons…

Oh God, what the fuck was happening. So this was what happened when other people knew she knew Loki? They had annoying discussions where she felt she had to defend him.

"Darcy," Jane said and only then did Darcy realise that her friend had been oddly quiet for a while. "Can I speak to you privately please?"

"Umm yeah?" Darcy said, standing up. "Sure."

Darcy followed Jane out the door so that they stood alone in the throne room.

"Has he hurt you?" Jane demanded.

"What?" Darcy asked shocked. "No. No of course not."

"Did he force you to? Did he pressure you into it?" Jane asked.

"Force me to do what?" Darcy asked.

"Sex, Darcy!" Jane asked, looking like she might burst into tears.

"Wait, what?" Darcy asked, genuinely shocked. "Where the hell did you get that from?"

Jane shook her head sadly. "Well you disappeared, so I assumed it was with the guard you'd been seeing so we tried to find him and…and he doesn't exist! And then you came back with Loki, and he's a shapeshifter and oh god, it sure as hell didn't take my three degrees to figure it out."

Darcy gaped. And then as seconds passed she slowly swallowed. "Okay umm yes, yes the guard is Loki."

"Oh God, I knew it." Jane buried her face in her hands.

"Darcy!" Thor boomed as he entered the room. Oh hell no, that was the last thing she needed.

On hearing his voice, the door swung open and Volstagg, Sif and Fandral appeared.

"Thor!" Fandral greeted.

"Well, what did he say?" Sif asked.

But Thor was looking at no one but Darcy. "You have been bedding Loki?" He asked, not even trying to mask his disgust.

Blood rushed to her cheeks, and she flushed. Oh God, she would kill Loki, how dare he tell Thor? And how on Earth had the others decided this was that the most pressing issue?

"You're doing  _what_?" Sif, Fandral and Volstagg gasped almost simultaneously.

Darcy's lips moved but no sound came out. "Uh…" She managed at last. "Did I not mention that?"

"Was this too an interrogation tactic?" Volstagg asked, genuinely intrigued.

"Um…not as such." Darcy replied.

"You had sex with Loki while I was available?" Fandral asked, genuinely confused.

"I believe it may actually have been better for you to have bedded Fandral." Sif said, genuinely disgusted.

Darcy knew that nothing she said would make the situation any better so could do nothing but stare at them all as her mind raced, searching for something- anything- that could possibly make it okay.

She had nothing.

"Darcy," Thor said seriously. "Did he manipulate you in-"

"OH MY GOD WILL YOU ALL STOP!" Darcy shouted. "No, Loki did not fucking rape me. He didn't trick me or…or anything what the hell, guys? I mean, whatever else Loki is capable of do you really think he would do that?"

"Then what happened?" Sif asked. "Did you hit your head?"

"NO!" Darcy said, her voice reaching a pitch that soon only dogs would be able to hear her protests. "For God's sake, it was entirely consensual."

"You…wanted to have sex with Loki?" Jane blinked.

"Umm yes?" Darcy replied.

She could barely make out the individual variations of "what the hell?" that greeted this comment through the cacophony of them all.

Darcy rolled her eyes. "I'm an adult. He's an adult. There were two people involved who should have been involved, and none of them were you lot so can you be quiet please? Look, it's true, I was trying to find out what he was up to and stop him."  _I also enjoyed his company,_  she added silently. "But yeah, I got to know him and we had sex a few times."

Sif shook her head. "It is your choice, Lady Darcy. But Loki is…not the wisest choice."

"I don't know how things work in Asgard- wait no yeah I do. This is no different to Fandral and his partners-"

"I beg your pardon I would never-" Fandral started.

"Dude, I know you've slept with Loki so don't even try it." Darcy snapped.

Only Jane looked slightly shocked so Darcy assumed this was something they all knew about.

Thor laughed, but Sif frowned. "Yes, I do not know who made the worse decision there." She said.

"Yes but that was before he…well you know." Fandral said.

"Darcy," Thor interrupted, smile gone. "I must tell you when he spoke of you to me, he was not very…respectful."

"Well, like I was about to say. It's not like we were romantic. I fucked him till he begged, but I doubt that counts as a very respectful thing to say either." Darcy shrugged, having to suppress the smirk that threatened to show. Okay, so maybe she could see the appeal in bragging.

"Darcy! I so did not need to know that." Jane said.

Darcy tilted her head to the side. "Well it wasn't hard. He has this spot right-"

"Darcy!" Jane scolded again.

Darcy laughed, as did Volstagg.

"Oh what harm is there in the mortal and Loki making love? Or well… lust in their case. It is nothing we are all unfamiliar with." Volstagg said.

"So clarify," Sif started. "You spoke of him with disdain yet now you defend him."

Darcy squirmed. She didn't know how they'd react if she told them the truth. "Well we're friends I guess, but I could hardly let Odin know that, he hates him."

"He does not-" Thor started.

"Yes he does." Darcy snapped. "He might once have cared for him, but he's long given up on Loki. He wanted him dead the moment he returned to Asgard. In fact he's probably sentencing Loki to death right now." She tried not to squirm at the thought. Of course Loki could not actually die but that did not change the fact that Odin would be sending him back to Hel, however briefly.

"He won't." Thor said certainly. "However he feels about Loki he loved my mother, he would not offend her memory by sentencing Loki to death."

"You'd better be right." Darcy said.

"You care for Loki?" Thor asked.

Darcy hesitated, but figured there was no point masking it all anymore. Well, not it all obviously, she did not want to end up in a cell while Hel tortured her father.

She nodded. "I do."

"Why?" Jane asked.

"Well his awesome skills at oral, obvio-"

" _Darcy_ ," Jane growled. "I mean why. Why do you care about him after all he's done? We lived with Erik! And he was hardly the worst of it."

Darcy shook her head. "It's complicated. He…he genuinely feels bad for all that."

"Of course he would say that! He's the God of fricking lies!" Jane snapped.

"He apologised when he was dying Jane, you said as much yourself!"

"Yeah when he was dying! Which he faked! Also lying!" Jane said.

"I have reason to believe he was forced into acting against your planet." Thor interjected.

"You do?" Jane asked uncertainly. Oh God, Jane trusted Thor's logic more than her own, and she'd seen the guy smash coffee mugs to ask for more.

Thor nodded. "It was obvious he was being manipulated some way on Midgard. He spoke of things he had seen, and it was evident someone had shown him them. Someone had to have convinced the Chitauri to follow him. And…we were in a room with the sceptre for ten minutes, and almost killed each other. I imagine whoever forced him or…convinced him to attack was manipulating him through the sceptre as well."

"Jane, you've seen the footage of him coming through the Tesseract." Darcy said softly, only thinking of this now with knowledge of what Loki had been forced to tell her. She was suddenly really thankful they'd hacked the footage in Norway. "He looked like he'd been stuck in a blender, we said as much at the time."

"Did he say anything to you?" Jane asked.

Darcy shook her head. The least she could do to Loki was pretend it had never happened. "No but it…it makes a lot of sense. I mean, he knew he was losing but he carried on anyway. It's like he was scared of failing." Or scared of it looking like he hadn't tried.

"Well…" Jane faltered. "That doesn't change the fact he sent the destroyer after you in New Mexico or any of that stuff."

"No, it doesn't." Thor agreed. "And while it is not excusable that at the least was no act of madness, his reasons though unsatisfactory exist and...well Loki needed support not punishment. If I am right about what he found in the void he definitely did not receive the former."

"He tried to kill you!" Sif protested.

"I am not happy about it." Thor said. "But he had his reasons. And he was king, technically it was no crime."

"He wasn't the rightful-" Volstagg started.

"He was." Thor said. "Whether you like it or not," Fandral started to say something but Thor cut him off. "And I am thankful for your support but in truth Loki was rightfully king at that moment. He was handed the crown, he did not seize it."

Jane shook her head. "This whole thing is so confusing."

"And I still do not know all of it for he will not tell me." Thor said. "But I do know I am sick of whatever it is he has become. His manipulation, his games…him faking his death was the final act. I do not wish to associate with him any longer."

"Thor, please," Darcy tried. She understood where he was coming from of course, he didn't want to be hurt again. But knowing what she did- that Loki hadn't faked his death, that he was genuinely sorry, that he regretted the hurt he had caused to his brother- she couldn't help but feel like he didn't deserve that.

Thor shook his head and left, Jane running after him.

But Loki needed people to believe him. It was the only thing that had him clinging on. The opposite of love wasn't hate, it was indifference and he had hated Thor. It was always a "you make me love you and I hate you for it." Without that, Loki would have been free to go through completely with whichever twisted schemes he wanted, without always aiming them at hurting Thor.

And if Thor had said anything like that to Loki then…then he might give up. Just fall into that darkness again. It would definitely make doing what Hel wanted easier, maybe even enjoyable.

Loki needed people to believe in him, she thought again. And she didn't think she was enough.

Oh God, she had to make sure he was okay.

* * *

 

The chains were heavy, but Loki was long past the point of caring. If anything, he wanted to laugh. Even at his last trial, he had been unable to take the pretences seriously. Now, with knowledge of things so much more important than what Odin was concerned with it had become more of a minor inconvenience.

He twisted his right wrist. The guard whose job it had been to chain him had been far too enthusiastic over the job. Relishing the opportunity to shove him into them. Knowing people like that existed caused Loki to smile. Well if the universe was going to end there were some people he would not be sorry to see die.

Honestly he did not know why he had resisted Hel so much. A moment of guilt when she asked him. No, he may not wish to be controlled but she had resorted to that. Before that he had refused as he did not wish to disappoint those he suddenly cared for.

He was a monster. He was always going to disappoint them. He always had.

Really there was no point in resisting that.

He twisted his wrist again. The chain really was very tight. The pain was almost comforting. He was familiar with pain.

He grinned again at a memory that flitted through his mind. He and Darcy had once discussed what he would do if they discovered he was alive.

He had shrugged it off, saying he would never be idiotic enough to let that happen. This was before she knew of Hel.

"You should totally dance up to them like 'guess who's back? Back again, Shady's back. Tell a friend'." She had sang.

Loki scowled at her. "Why would I do that?"

But she was too busy laughing at her own joke. He found he did not hate that habit of hers as much as he should.

"Oh my god or you should just sweep in dramatically and be like 'surprise, bitch. Bet you thought you'd seen the last of me.'"

He smirked at that one, picturing the look on Odin's face.

Now he found himself being dragged to a trial, and he had to admit, he was highly tempted.

He rounded the corner. It was odd how the guards expected him to walk forwards as they held him like an animal in a leash- the collar did not help there. He was certain if he were not someone who knew the palace better than anyone else, they would be leading.

The throne room lay ahead. Two guards opened the door as they saw him approaching.

The sight of his father on the throne irritated him more than it had before. Even regretting his actions as he had, he had still believed Odin an awful king and a worse father. And now he became irritated that the rest of Asgard looked up to him for rule.

Perhaps Ragnarök would not be that unpleasant…

Now would be a good time to escape. It was impossible in the cell, but though these chains were inscribed with powerful runes that blocked his access to his magic, chains could be broken in more manual ways.

Well at least they didn't have that muzzle on him. It amused him that they were so scared of him simply talking to them but even so it had been incredibly uncomfortable and humiliating.

Loki walked forwards through the middle of the room. His steps were slow, weighed down as he was by the chains.

Odin's face remained impassive.

Loki decided to aim for mocking the trial again. It wasn't like anything he said would influence Odin's decision.

As he reached the end he swung his foot round as he had in his last trial, slamming to a halt in front of Odin, mocking smirk already in place.

"Father," He greeted cheerily. "How great to see you again."

The only change in his expression was a slight downturn of his lips. "You are alive." He stated.

Loki only just refrained from an eye roll. Honestly, how did he survive so long living among such idiots?

"Obviously." He sneered. "I assume you are saving your tears of relief for a later date."

"You faked your death for what purpose?" Odin carried on like Loki hadn't spoken. "To evade the dungeons?"

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Have you seen the dungeons? I believe that's more than enough reason."

"You made the decision that your punishment had ended. A punishment you deserved for crimes that you ought to have died for." Odin said, irritation slipping into his voice. Odin did love telling him he was supposed to be dead. He could almost have thanked Hel for keeping him alive just for the joy of spiting Odin.

Loki snorted. "The mortals have since slaughtered each other tenfold. You believe my rule could have been any worse than that?"

"That is beside the point." Odin said. "You cannot-"

"And what is the point, exactly?" Loki interrupted. "This charade is ridiculous. I'd quite like to return to the book I was reading before you intruded into my room."

"You escaped the dungeons and have since wreaked more havoc across the universe. You have caused more deaths by stealing the Casket and you remain as unapologetic as you were at your last trial. Clearly the little punishment you endured taught you nothing." Odin said.

Loki rolled his eyes. "So send me to the axe." He said bluntly. "But you won't." He grinned. "Because you would never do that to  _her_ , would you? Your weakness."

"Love is not weakness Loki, it is strength." Odin said.

Loki wondered if the Allfather would maintain that belief if  _he_  was the one being controlled by it. "Sentiment," Loki spat. "Is why you will always be a weak king. It is why Thor will never-"

"Do not bring this back to Thor." Odin interrupted. "Your crimes are your own. You blame us yet without us you would not be here."

"You're right. Without you I would not be here." Loki shook the handcuffs.

"Enough." Odin snapped. "You are not here to discuss your supposed grievances. Is there anything else that you have done in the period we believed you dead?"

"Be more specific." Loki said, on the verge of saying 'well I fucked a mortal' but he would be mimicking Thor a bit too much by loudly boasting of that. And he did not think Miss Lewis would take too kindly to it. Not that he particularly cared but she was probably his favourite person still living and it would probably be in his best interests to not make her annoyed with him.

"Anything that is against the laws of this realm? Anything that may cause damage?" Odin asked.

"Then yes." Loki said.

"Well?" Odin asked. "If you confess, your punishment will not be as severe as if we discover your actions."

"I am hardly going to give you details." Loki snapped.

"Very well." Odin said. "Your punishment was already eternity in the dungeons before you stole the Casket."

Yes, how dare that be under any reconsideration after his help on Svartalfheim. Not that Loki had expected it but it certainly had crossed his mind.

"A thousand lashes for the Casket." Odin announced.

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Really?" Lashes were for petty crimes- albeit not so many. And honestly after Thanos it would probably feel like a scratch.

"Yes, really." Odin snapped. "A thousand lashes every day for the next month. Then once a week for a year."

"You do realise I am not actually going to receive that punishment?" Loki asked.

"And why would that be?" Odin asked.

Loki grinned. "Because I will be gone by then."

"You did not escape the dungeons last time. I have faith you will not manage to this time either. Guards, return the prisoner to his cell." Odin said.

"It was nice to see you too." Loki said sarcastically as the guards pulled on the chains connected to the manacle round his waist.

Of course he had not expected Odin to be happy that he was alive. If anything, he had expected quite the opposite. However his cold indifference…well it was about time that he accepted that Loki was not his son rather than treating him like the Frost Giant he was while expecting praise for his fathering.

He turned his back on the king happily, hoping the next time he saw Odin was as he watched his kingdom burn.

* * *

 

"Hey." A voice said. Loki glanced up from where he was lying on the bed of his cell. He hadn't quite noticed before as last time hospitality prior to imprisonment was at the hands of Thanos but the bed was incredibly uncomfortable. He longed for his own one.

"Miss Lewis?" Loki frowned as he saw her. "What are you doing here?"

She was standing outside of the energy barrier. She looked so out of place in the dungeons. He did not think a mortal had been down there in centuries.

"Visiting you, obviously." She said, looking round. "You know when they said dungeons I got kind of worried but it's actually kind of nice down here."

"Oh yes, it's great." Loki muttered.

Darcy raised an eyebrow. "Come on, it could be worse."

"It could be considerably better." He said but still…he could not quite believe she had come down to visit him.

Once again, he wished he was in his own room. He longed to pull her to his arms…to have her bite at his neck…to run his own teeth along the inside of her thigh…

Of course, even had he not been arrested that was probably not how this evening would have gone. She would have been shaken over the events in Hel- even he was, though he wouldn't admit that- and they would have discussed it. He would have reassured her, after all Hel was his problem, and never should have been hers in the first place.

Then her moaning would have irritated him, and he would have snapped at her and she would have shouted, hands on her hips as she glared up at him like he wasn't a terrifying villain as she told him in her colourful language to behave.

His thoughts went back to tugging at her-

"Well you know, I could talk you through what I'd do to you while you touch yourself." Darcy smirked, evidently knowing exactly what he was thinking. "But I think it's a bit public for that."

"I think we have bigger problems than the lack of privacy." Loki said.

Which reminded him that she probably should not have even been here. If they found her…well she may end up in a cell as well.

"You need to leave." He said.

"I'm not leaving you here." She said.

He frowned at her. He'd had months spent in a cell just like this one. Did she really believe he would not be able to handle one night?

"You're already acting more…" She trailed off.

"More what?" He snapped, not wanting to hear what she now thought of him.

"More like you used to." Darcy said. "Like you still think you have to be evil-"

"I do not  _have_  to be." Loki retorted. "But everyone expects it. Why not give them what they want?"

"I don't want it." She said, looking away awkwardly. "And like…I get that you have to or you'd have to explain why you are good-" he glared at her. "Okay fine, why you aren't evil but still stole the casket. But I don't think it's entirely an act. I think…them treating you like you're evil is toxic. I mean…Thor always believed in you but he thinks you faked your death and that was the final straw for him."

Why did she think she cared what Thor thought? Yes when he was dying he had wished for a better relationship with his brother but things had changed. Thor needed to hate him. He had to see him as evil. He was causing Ragnarök, it was what he deserved.

"Must I remind you of what it is I am doing? That is deserving of hatred, I think." Loki said.

"That's not you that's Hel." Darcy said wearily.

"Is it?" He snapped. "I have caused destruction before-"

"And you regretted it." She hissed.

Good. She should be angry with him. She should hate him. Her affection made no sense. "Yes. But I am destined for this. Destruction is in my nature and I will not repent for that."

"Don't." She said. "Don't embrace that darkness again. Please."

"Everyone expects it. Why not go beyond their expectations?" He shrugged.

"Not everyone." She said defiantly.

Loki sneered at her. She was a fool for still believing in him. The world would burn and he would be the cause of it. She had already become involved because of him. And he needed her hatred.

"You think you are significant?" Loki asked. "You're a mortal who-"

"Oh shut up Loki." She rolled her eyes. "How many times do we have to have this talk? Just because you can't fathom how you could be attracted to or care for a mortal doesn't mean you can hold that against me."

"Attracted, yes. Care for? The way one might a pet." Loki hissed. "You may not be nothing to me, Miss Lewis but do not think for a moment that you are at all significant."

"Right," She said, folding arms. "That explains why you came to Hel for me. Just cut the crap Loki, I'm really not in the mood for it, given I just had to have a nice little chat with your brother and his friends about why I am banging you."

"And you said what? That I forced you? Insanity?" Loki asked. He knew those were the only answer they would accept.

"No, I told them you were hot as fuck and good at oral because despite what you might think or wish, Loki, I'm not ashamed of liking you. So no, I didn't renounce you and I'm not about to now. Especially because you obviously want everyone to give up on you, and if it means you hate me for still having faith in you, then so be it." She said.

Loki stared at her.

He could show her, show her that he was evil. That he was a monster. He could make her hate him for involving her in this.

But she already knew everything, and if knowing he was causing the end of the world didn't stop her then what would? He never should have shown her Hel's involvement. A moment of weakness, of need for someone to know what was happening- to believe in him- and now he was having the exact opposite problem. It was his own fault and he felt resentment for her build inside him, resentment for the fact that she could not give up on him.

But the resentment was nothing compared to the hope he felt because of it.

He was a fool. He had not been lying to Odin. Love was a weakness.

Whatever tiny fraction of that he felt towards her, that…fondness…it would make all of this harder.

He wanted to punch a wall, but hitting things was always Thor's way of coping.

"So what happened with Odin?" Darcy asked.

Loki was thankful for the distraction from the thoughts swirling in his head. "He did not announce a banquet to celebrate my return." Loki frowned. "It was very confusing."

She laughed, and he smiled slightly. There was something about the way she laughed, loudly and unashamedly that always made him-

No. He stopped such thoughts. She was alright to bed, perhaps even to befriend but he would allow it to go no further.

"I know right, I was like, umm so when's the party?" She grinned. "So what did he actually say? And more importantly how did you sass back?"

He gave her a brief run through of what had happened. Her laughter filled the dungeons. It was odd that no guards came running.

"Oh my God, Loki you're the best." She smiled.

"Well, that certainly is a first, would you mind repeating that in front of Thor?" Loki asked.

"Stop with the rivalry." She scolded. "Anyway, what did he say in the end?"

"Thor did not tell you?" Loki asked.

Darcy shook her head. "I came straight here when I found out it was finished. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Did she think he would be a sobbing mess on the ground?

"A thousand lashes every day. Then once a week for a year." Loki smiled. "Unfortunately, the universe will be no more by then."

Darcy did not even comment with her usual "we'll find a way to stop Ragnarök." Then again her last plan had not gone particularly well. She was far too headstrong at times.

"That bastard sentenced you to be whipped? What the fuck? You're his son!"

"I am not his son." Loki hissed.

"Well by blood, but he still raised you." He went to interrupt her, but she held her hand up to stop him. "Shit father. Very, very shit father, but still he raised you and shouldn't be sentencing you to being whipped. Why is physical punishment even a thing? There is only one use for whips and as far as I'm concerned that should be between you and I, preferably with headboard chains."

She was speaking so quickly, he did not even fathom how she could go from lamenting Odin's parenting to sex.

"If I kill him, does the punishment still stand?" Darcy asked.

Loki laughed at the image of Darcy killing the king. Perhaps she would tase him first. "Yes. The punishment is not so bad anyway, it is-"

"Not so bad?" She repeated. "A thousand lashes is normal here?"

Well admittedly, it was normally five hundred at the absolute most. Loki would probably fall unconscious. That would be embarrassing.

Still, it was probably best if Darcy did not know that.

"Yes. We are more resilient than mortals." Loki said. His back would be a bloody mess. That would make completing Hel's task difficult. And again, it was nothing compared to Thanos, but he somehow doubted that would comfort Darcy.

"Whatever, I'm going to go yell at Thor." Darcy said.

"I will not be here for the punishment." Loki told her. "We must complete the next task for Hel."

"You can't do that from a cell." Darcy said.

"Which is why I shall have to escape." Loki smirked.

"How?" She asked.

"I will find a way." Loki said.

"I'm still going to yell at Thor." Darcy said.

Loki smiled. "If you must. And you shall have to tell me about it."

Darcy shook her head. "I like Thor. Stop ranting about him. Anyway, how are we going to do this Ragnarök thing? Do you know what the next stage is?"

"Yes, but I have not fully formulated a plan for it." Loki said. He focused on his room, picturing the books and with a simple movement of his fingers the volume he needed appeared in his hands.

Darcy gaped. "You can do magic in there? But can't you just apparate out?"

Loki shook his head. How to explain it to a mortal who knew nothing of magic? "I created a connection between my room and the dungeons. It was the most I could manage through the wards of the dungeons, in case I was discovered. I can summon items in there and return them but I cannot go there myself."

"So if I put stuff in there you could get it?" She asked.

Loki nodded.

"Is there anything you want? Like daggers or something?" She asked.

Loki thought for a moment. "Right now? As much alcohol as you can possibly move in there."

Darcy gave him a slightly concerned look before sighing. "Can you move people if they are in your room?"

Loki had never considered it. When he created the connection, no one knew he lived, so he was not sure, but logically as long as it was not him, it should work. "Yes." He said.

Darcy grinned. "Then I'll see what I can do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Walk On Water Or Drown by Mayday Parade. Umm yeah so that was long. Sorry, couldn't resist the cliche "shock sex revelation" scene. 
> 
> Please review.


	25. Life By The Mile

"What the actual fuck, Thor?" Darcy asked as she stormed into the food hall where, as she had expected, they were all seated.

He frowned at her, eyebrows furrowing. "Darcy? Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, Asgard!" She said. "I mean first there's all this elitism, and now I find out whipping people is a suitable punishment!"

Thor's frown deepened so that he was glowering at her. "People have died because Loki stole the Casket, Darcy. He is already in a cell."

"So keep him there! Extend the sentence! Give him gruel to eat or something, but whipping? That's torture, Thor. You see nothing wrong with torturing your brother?" She asked.

"That thing down there-"

"Is your brother." Darcy snapped.

"You know, I think I preferred it when she pretended she hated and did not know Loki." Fandral commented.

"It is rather odd seeing her like this." Volstagg added back.

Darcy rounded on them, really not in the mood for this. "I'm right here. Call me 'she' again, and I'll stab you in the eye."

"Well, someone has been spending too much time with Loki." Fandral grinned. "Will you be using his dagger for it? Then again you have other uses for his…uh…dagger."

Darcy raised an eyebrow. "Fandral, is there something about living that displeases you because it sounds like you're asking me to change that?"

"Any time spent with Loki is too much." Sif commented, before Fandral could retort.

"Yes but you thought that even before all his nonsense started." Volstagg pointed out.

Sif merely shrugged, not denying that this was true.

Darcy turned back to Thor. "You actually think this is an acceptable punishment? Fine. Go and watch then. Every day that he is being whipped you can go and watch and then you can tell me that that is a punishment anyone deserves let alone your own brother."

"He has brought this punishment on himself." Thor said. "I am too busy attempting to reverse the damage he has done to-"

"Bullshit you just know you won't be able to stand it, watching him being whipped bloody in front of you." Darcy said.

"Darcy, enough." Jane said. "It's not Thor's fault that Odin's sentenced him to this."

"It's his fault that he's not doing anything about it." Darcy snapped.

"What can he do?" Jane argued back. "You think Odin is going to go back on his punishment? And honestly he's getting off lightly, if it were anyone else they'd be sentenced to death."

Darcy could only shake her head, too shocked and appalled to do anything else. They were all just okay with it? And not just okay, but justifying it. Darcy knew she was biased, but she didn't think she would ever believe this a suitable punishment. She'd had too many politics classes on punishment in some countries and…well even if she hadn't surely she'd feel morally above torture?

Did all of that just disappear when they found out it was Loki?

"Fuck you." Darcy said to them all. Of course, she could have thought of something more eloquent but that seemed to cover her sentiment nicely.

And then she turned and stormed away, not caring if she was making a scene because someone had to. Asgard was beyond fucked up- not that Earth was in anyway perfect- but the fact that thousands of years ago humans worshipped them as deities seemed to make them think they were untouchable.

Instead, they were stuck in the middle ages. Darcy supposed that was a problem with being immortal, humanity had come so far since the Vikings, and the Asgardians had hardly changed at all.

"Darcy, wait!" Jane called.

Darcy held her middle finger up as she left the hall.

She went to the kitchens instead of her room.

The kitchen was huge, row upon row of preparation surfaces and fire run stoves with huge iron pots on top. Cooking equipment of every kind hung like mobiles from the ceiling. And the smell was so good she decided she never wanted to leave.

She half expected to see house elves running around, but instead saw bustling servants and hurried cooks.

But her entrance doused the atmosphere almost immediately, like water thrown on a fire. The moment one servant noticed her he froze, staring at her with a mix of terror and respect. And as he froze the others did too, the room silencing in seconds.

"M-m-my lady." One serving girl stuttered. "Is there anything we can do for you?"

News travelled quickly in the palace…Darcy wondered just how much they knew. She doubted everyone would be as forgiving as the others were to her sleeping with Loki, and that said a lot because forgiving was kind of the opposite of how they had been.

"Alcohol." Darcy said simply. "The nicest and strongest stuff you have."

She was too angry and annoyed to even say please, and felt immediately guilty for it when several of the staff nodded and ran off immediately.

"Back to work!" One of the chef's called. "If that food burns…well, it'll be our necks on the line."

Darcy really hoped she was only speaking figuratively but honestly not much would surprise her about Asgard anymore.

When they returned carrying several caskets she thanked them and went to leave.

"My lady?" The girl asked again.

Darcy turned. "Just Darcy, please. I am so done with this my lady stuff, my grandparents were farmers for God's sake."

"Umm, very well." The girl said but Darcy could tell she was pleased, as well as confused. "I just…wanted to say that it was right good what you did. Not many people would have been brave enough to try to stop him."

Darcy shook her head. "I don't deserve thanks for that. He's really not that bad, then again people in Asgard never really liked him anyway, did they?"

"Well, it's no lie they preferred his brother but he was always better to us. People admired Thor but they felt comfortable around Loki." The girl said.

Darcy frowned, adjusting the admittedly heavy bottles in her arms. "Really? But with all the pranks and stuff?"

"He caused us quite a bit of cleaning, that's true. But on the whole, he was quiet and well…studious. I'm not saying he didn't treat us like we were beneath him, but it was never intentional and he never exploited that, never pressed his advantage like most men of his position. And most of the people he liked were not like him in terms of class, my lady. In fact, my aunt worked cataloguing the books in the library and he and her- I'm sorry my lady. I shouldn't be discussing this. Especially when he's changed so much. Anyway, you really are brave for confronting him. And him being a Frost Giant as well," The girl shuddered. "Well, it's no wonder he finally showed his true colours with that heritage."

Darcy's lips tightened, but she said nothing. The more she was here, the more she wondered if it was any surprise Loki had gone insane when he found out he was a Frost Giant with that level of internalised hatred for them.

In fact, the longer she was here, the longer she wanted to just drag him away from this toxic place and wrap him in blankets or something.

Although she could only imagine his reaction if she tried.

"Well, thanks for the alcohol." Darcy said. She felt like she needed it even more now.

She went to her room first and freshened up, changing into different travel clothes because she didn't know when she'd be suddenly expected to complete Hel's task. She was glad Erika wasn't there because Darcy wasn't up for facing her. She didn't know how she'd handle Erika being angry and upset that Darcy had known Loki. Or worse- scared.

 _Fucking Asgard_ , she thought bitterly as she ran a finger along one of the bottles.

She grabbed the others and practically ran to Loki's room.

And almost broke down sobbing when she saw it.

It had been torn apart. The books he loved littered the floor with random pages scattered and crumpled. The bed frame was upside down like someone had tossed it aside to search underneath. Darcy's eyes sought the painting of Loki that Frigga had done and saw, thankfully, that it had survived unscathed.

Darcy sunk to her knees. She remembered when Loki's room had been a reprieve from the things that annoyed her about Asgard. She could come annoy Loki rather than snap at Fandral. And the books…well that was what had brought her there in the first place.

Darcy's eyes were suddenly forced shut and her ears popped with the sound and pain of a gunshot. The air was squeezed from her lungs and the ground slipped away beneath her. She gasped the moment it returned.

Hands gripped her forearms, lifting her up.

"What is wrong?" Loki asked.

She managed to peel her eyes open, and managed to discern Loki through the spinning room.

"I'm fine." She said, blinking quickly. "Just…why are there three of you?"

She would have fallen if he hadn't been holding her up.

He exhaled softly in amusement. "I'm sure that's quite another fantasy of yours."

"Don't make me laugh I'll be sick." Darcy mumbled.

"It is a difficult form of travel." Loki said. "It may take some getting used to."

"Oh God, I hope not." Darcy said. And all at once the nausea passed. "Hey." She grinned.

Loki half smiled, slowly lowering his hands. "Hello."

"Where is the alcohol?" Darcy asked.

He gestured to the table in his cell where the bottles were neatly stacked.

"Good, pass me the strongest one there." Darcy told him.

Loki smirked with self-mocking humour. "Bad day?" He asked, reaching for the cup on the side, before pouring the liquid from inside the tallest bottle inside.

Darcy laughed. "Just a tad." Loki offered her the cup and she reached round to grab the bottle from his other hand. He quirked an eyebrow and she grinned. "Okay so it may have been a bit worse than a tad." She took a sip. "Ohhh God, that's good. It tastes a bit like flavoured cider. I miss that. I miss Earth food."

"Really?" Loki asked sceptically.

"Yes. Okay after all this shit is over, and we have either stopped the apocalypse or we find the Earth section of Helheim, I am taking you to McDonalds, and ordering the majority of the menu." Darcy grinned.

"I'll pass, thank you." Loki said.

"Nope, not an option. Half the fun is watching you pretend to hate cheeseburgers and moan non-stop as you eat the entire thing, and have seconds." Darcy smiled. "And from there we are getting a Chinese takeaway. I am taking you on an Earth food tour."

"Valhalla." Loki winced and downed the cup quickly before reaching for another bottle.

"Dude! Is the thought of Earth food so bad?" Darcy said, slightly shocked and impressed. "Pace yourself."

He looked at her scornfully. "You do realise that becoming merely mildly intoxicated is not the point here, right?"

"Then what is the point?" Darcy asked, taking a long gulp. She could hardly taste the alcohol but she knew it was strong, so she forced herself to take her time.

"To become so intoxicated I forget the existence of Hel, the Allfather, Thor and every other life form in this universe." Loki muttered, taking another sip.

Darcy smiled mirthlessly. "Here here." She said, treating herself to another sip. Smaller this time. Then she paused. "Wait, I'm exempt from that, right?"

"Of course," Loki said like it was obvious. "You're here, aren't you?"

Darcy smiled, trying not to show how pleased she was because it was kind of ridiculous that she felt this way every time he said something remotely nice. Like yay, the guy she was screwing didn't want to kill her.

"I remember when bad days used to consist of slave-driving bosses." Darcy drank.

Loki looked up from the bottle in his hand. "I was under the impression you were Miss Foster's assistant."

"Intern." Darcy said.

"Then you were a slave before that?" He asked.

"Dude no." Darcy said, laughing a bit more than the statement probably deserved. "It's a figure of speech. Although Jane doesn't pay me so in a way…like no, I'm not nor have I ever been a slave. Slavery is kind of banned on Earth." Of course, there were thousands who were but…well she didn't have the energy to explain the corruption of humanity to someone so willing to believe it.

"I see." Loki drank. "You worried me that I had not only descended to bedding a mortal but a slave as well."

Darcy rolled her eyes. It was testament to how pissed off she was with everyone else, that putting up with Loki's bullshit was preferable. "You are such a jerk, I've descended to bedding an attempted dictator so you don't really have a leg to stand on." Loki went to say something. "Another figure of speech." She explained. "Wait, they don't actually have slavery in Asgard, right?"

Asgard was already messed up enough as it was.

"No." Loki said. "But it was prevalent on Earth when we roamed it."

He walked to the bed and sat down, swinging his legs up elegantly. The way he moved sometimes made her want to drool but she would blame that on the alcohol.

"So slavery doesn't exist on Asgard, but you wanted to enslave Earth?" Darcy asked, smirking at him.

"You know I intended to be captured." Loki winced. He raised the bottle to his lips.

"Yeah but, like," Darcy paused to drink. "You know, there was a good chance you would win. You must have had some plan of what you would do with Earth?"

Loki shrugged. "I would have ruled you as the benevolent God I am." He said sarcastically, so much self-loathing in his words that he had to chase them down with more alcohol.

"Was." Darcy corrected. "You changed whether you like it or not when you died. Hel wants you to change back and heaven knows being here with Odin and Thor telling you you're a monster is not helping when you're already so willing to call yourself that."

Loki glared at her. "I dislike your attempts to psychoanalyse me."

Darcy rolled her eyes. "How dare I believe there might be reasons behind your actions that aren't 'he's just sooo evil!'"

Loki drank again, turning to look away from her. "They do not excuse them."

"No, they don't." She agreed. She was about to go on to say what excused them was the guilt he was feeling, and him attempting to make things right.

Unfortunately, given that he was currently causing more destruction than he already was she didn't think that would go well.

Instead, she slumped into the chair by the table.

"What would you have done if you met me…you know, before you died?" Darcy asked curiously.

Loki tensed. Darcy tilted her head to the side, eyebrows furrowing as she watched him.

"Do not ask questions like that unless you are prepared for the answer." He said quietly without looking at her.

"Oh come ooon," She sang. "It's hardly going to surprise me, is it? So come on. Kill me? What?"

"And why do you want to know?" He asked, an edge to his words.

"Curiosity." She answered.

"If I had met you during my attempt on Earth I would have killed you if you stood in my way." He snapped. "I would have done it without a second thought."

"No mind control?" She asked.

"Do you have some secret skill that I could have utilised?" He asked.

"Only the ones you've found in the sheets. Oh, and I make a really good cup of coffee." Darcy said.

"I would have killed you, Miss Lewis. I was far too busy trying to appease and escape Thanos to contemplate you in that way." Loki said.

It was the first time he had casually mentioned Thanos and Darcy watched sadly as he raised the bottle once more, this time placing it empty on the side. She silently passed him another, wondering if she should be condoning this but deciding if given everything that had happened one night of alcoholic relief was all he wanted it was positive.

"Okay well…what about after?" She asked because she was on her way to being pleasantly tipsy and hadn't really gathered that this wasn't a topic of conversation Loki was enjoying. "What if, I don't know, instead of the dungeons you were exiled like Thor was. Or you escaped or something. If we met then what would have happened?"

"You want to know?" He asked viciously. "I would have destroyed you." He hissed. "I would have drawn you to me and discovered your weaknesses. I'd have manipulated you and toyed with you, and exploited those lips of yours. I'd have you crying and begging at my feet. I would have you blaming yourself for every cruel thing I said to you, and when you were finally broken- finally  _mine_ \- I would have grown bored and tossed you aside."

Something in Darcy's stomach tightened, and she swallowed with difficulty.

"Maybe I wouldn't let you." Darcy said. "Maybe I would have told you where you could stick your insults."

Loki snorted. "You would have tried. At first." He lifted the bottle to his lips.

Darcy fidgeted. She wasn't scared, that wasn't it. It was more just the knowledge that he was telling the truth and if…if that really had happened, if the timing was just slightly different, she'd be stuck in a textbook abusive relationship.

"Well I guess it's a good thing we met when we did, then."

"Good?" Loki laughed mirthlessly. "I may not be seeking power through controlling you or revelling in every bruise I left on your skin but you are now stuck working for Hel, isolated from your friends and sat in a cell with me. Whatever this is, it is not good. You'd be better off as far from me as possible and yet you don't run. Why is that?"

"I'd be better off without Hel. Not you. Don't think that." She said, her heartbeat beginning to accelerate.

"Why?" He demanded, sitting up.

 _I swear to god if I have to explain why I don't hate him one more time,_ she thought in irritation.

"Do you know when the last time I spoke to someone about my dad was? When he died. And yet I found myself telling you within a couple of days. Do you know who the last person who was genuinely interested in hearing me talk about things like politics was? My poli-sci teacher who was paid for it. Do you know who the last person who actually put thought into a book recommendation for me was? Fucking no one." Darcy hissed. She quickly downed the rest of the bottle and stood up.

"So yeah, I like you. I like talking to you. I like having someone attempt to match my level of sarcasm." He gave her an unimpressed look at that one. "I fucking love the way you feel inside me." At that he laughed. "And I might have gone to Hel to try to stop her taking over the world but I also went for you because it made furious beyond belief that she was controlling you. And I don't go to Hel for just anyone and they sure as hell don't follow me there to make sure I'm safe if they are then going to act like a little bitch."

She climbed onto his bed, and onto his lap, straddling his waist. She brought her face to his. "So yeah, asshole, I like you. And if you doubt that one more time I will fucking stab you okay?" She smiled.

Hmm, alcohol didn't normally make her violent. It must just have been Loki's presence. Or just her general anger of the day.

Loki was silent for a moment as he looked at her. "I have a very good mind to take you right here and now." He said. "Unfortunately, I was very serious about my plans to get ludicrously intoxicated tonight."

Darcy leant back and raised his hand with the bottle he was nursing to his lips.

"Then drink up, bitch, because I might take you here and now at any moment."

He drank before pulling away, frowning at her. "Bitch?" He asked.

Darcy grinned, only just managing to suppress drunken giggles.

"It's a term of endearment on Earth." Darcy said.

Loki raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing her. "Really? So I may call you bitch?"

Darcy shook her head, keeping her expression serious. "Nope, it can only be used by me."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because you're my bitch, not the other way round." She said.

Loki moved so quickly she didn't even register what was happening until he was on top of her, pinning her hands above her.

"I know full well what the word means and is used for, minx." He said with a smile.

She grinned. "Doesn't matter, you're still my bitch."

And as Loki moved closer to her she spun him so that she was on top, laughing down at his surprised expression.

"I see your time in the dungeons has made you no less graceful, Loki." She said, imitating Fandral's accent.

"How did-"

She shrugged. "Thor and Fandral both told me." She grinned. "They too, are my bitches. Don't worry, you're my main bitch."

Loki grasped her hands together, pulling her down to him. She gasped in surprise, not expecting him to be so dominating when he was usually so happy to let her take the lead. "Silence, minx." He said, looking like he was trying not to laugh.

"Or what?" She asked with a coy smile.

"I'll make you." He said seriously, eyes glittering with the challenge.

"I think I need an example." She said.

He stopped her talking in the very effective manor of occupying her lips in another activity, primarily by pushing his against hers. She could taste the alcohol on his lips, but his kisses always managed to get her intoxicated in a very different way.

She broke the kiss only to laugh, as she felt him harden against her, she moved a hand to that region. "Good," She said. "I thought you might be too drunk to get it up."

"You are hardly one to talk." He breathed against her.

"Shut up, bitch." She grinned.

"Enough." He said, leaning up to kiss her once more. His hands moved to her shirt, and started tugging it up.

"Wow, someone's wasting no time." She breathed against him, the alcohol making her feel dizzy in a very pleasant way.

"I'm the captive of the Allfather." He said, pulling her top off and discarding it unceremoniously on the floor. He pushed her so that she fell backwards, barely bouncing on the bed before he was above her. "This could be my last night on this planet." He teased, tearing his own shirt free.

Darcy pulled her own bra off and smiled up at him. "Then we really have to make it count."

His lips were on her skin without hesitation, kissing along her collar bone and up to her neck before nibbling at her ear. Her hands moved to his chest, feeling him move above her as his lips explored.

"I intend to." He murmured before returning to her lips.

Darcy's fingers wound into his hair, pulling her against him. He sucked at her bottom lip and she moaned softly against him.

"Please don't let this be your last night." She whispered against him.

He kissed her one last time before he allowed his lips to trail down her, punctuating each word by placing his lips on her. "Why Miss Lewis, are you suggesting you would miss me?"

"I'd miss your lips." She said without hesitation, arching up to him as he found her breasts.

He sucked at her nipple expertly, running his tongue around it before gently biting the tip.

"Oh my God, Loki." She said. One kiss from him seemed to feel better than any other sex she'd had.

He leant back, cupping her breasts with her hands, and watched her beneath him. He smiled mischievously, and she prayed to whichever gods were listening it wasn't his "I'm going to tease you until you beg for mercy" smile.

"And where else would you like my lips?" He asked, hands stroking down her until they hooked in the waistband of her trousers. She could feel her pulse hammering between her legs and pushed her hips up to grind against the hardness in his breeches.

"I can think of a place." She smirked.

He pushed her hips firmly down on the bed and lowered his lips to her trousers, picking the laces open with his teeth. She didn't know whether watching him or feeling him do it was better but either way she was almost bucking against him and he hadn't even started.

Trousers undone he practically tore them from her, like he had promised to, underwear going with them.

He stroked one finger along her, before placing it in his mouth.

"So wet already? And you said it was I who was in a hurry." He said.

Darcy reached a hand down his trousers, stroking him the little that she could.

"So hard already?" She asked in reply. "You know I can think of a way to help both of us."

"I will have you screaming so loud all the guards in the palace come running first."

He said, lowering his head to where she was aching for him most.

His tongue moved in the same stroke his finger had moments before.

She whimpered in pleasure, unable to understand how he was so good at this.

"Please tell me this room is sound proof." She said, her voice going high halfway through as he circled her clit before gently sucking at it.

"Oh god." She breathed.

"Yes, mortal?" He asked back. She could feel his warm breath against her, and could practically sense his smirk.

Had she not been afraid that if she opened her mouth-she'd scream-she would have told him to shut up.

But she didn't know how long she could cope like that. As great as his tongue was she needed him properly. She knew begging wouldn't work.

She pushed him away, her clit almost screaming in protest.

"It's your last night." She said, pulling at his trousers.

"And I want to hear you yell my name." He said but didn't resist as she removed the remainder of his clothing.

She ran her fingers lightly and teasingly along his length and felt him shudder in response.

"Then I think we both know the best way to achieve that." She said, pushing his shoulder so that he lay back, the way he'd done to her early.

She slowly climbed on top until she was hovering just above his waist.

"Damn you." He breathed, eyes fluttering closed as he pushed his hips up so that his cock brushed against her folds.

She thrust against him, gasping as he entered, and wondered if he'd ever felt as good as he did in that moment.

She moved against him and his hands reached for her hips, pulling her faster against him. One of his fingers moved to rub at her clit as she rocked against him.

"Fuck, Loki." She gasped.

He moaned her name back just as she came, making so many noises of pleasure she was surprised no guards ran to them.

Somewhere in that mix of unintelligible noise Loki climaxed, filling her with his warm wetness.

She collapsed against his chest, breathing heavily.

Loki's hand stroked her cheek. "Do not think we are done." He said. "Remember, this could be my last night."

His voice sent shudders down her spine.

"So you're going to fuck me until I can't walk?" She asked, tracing the lines of his abs with her finger.

"That was my intention." He smirked.

Darcy grinned up. "I bet you break first."

His eyes met hers. "I do not think that is a challenge you wish to make."

She grinned. "Too late."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from On A Lonely Night by A Rocket To The Moon. Needed more sex before they get down to ragnarok. It was not intended but you put Loki and Darcy together and often it happens.


	26. Like A Nightmare

"And where do you think you are going?" The voice washed over Loki like ice water, chilling him to the bone.

His heart raced, but he clutched the dagger tighter. He would leave no matter what. He would not stay here. He didn't know how but he'd rather tear himself apart trying than face another second in this place.

"I'm leaving." He said, his voice ringing clear across the barren expanse.

Thanos's footsteps thundered loudly behind him as he walked closer. Loki could run, but he would never make it, Thanos would just pull him back.

"After all my hospitality?" Thanos sneered.

Loki refrained from shivering. He wouldn't stay. He wouldn't. He wouldn't.

"You are going nowhere, little prince, I still have use for you yet." Thanos said.

"Find someone else." Loki snapped, still refusing to turn round.

"I'm sure you can be persuaded." Thanos said.

Loki wondered whether the mad titan could hear his heart beating.

"Now, come back." Thanos said and Loki felt his hand-

_His hand his hand his hand his hand as it twisted and curved, and caused him to writhe in pain as wave after wave of agony crashed down on him his hand as he touched him, as the magic flowed from him as pure pain from him his hand  
_

-it was now on his shoulder. His breath caught in his throat.

Loki turned without thinking, without contemplating how stupid what he was attempting was, not even considering that it probably wouldn't work but moving instinctively as he buried the sharpened bone he'd made his dagger from into Thanos's gut.

He yanked it out quickly before bringing it up to slash Thanos's throat.

The breath he'd been holding escaped and he blinked, expecting to see Thanos crumple to the ground.

Instead he glowered in annoyance like Loki had caused little more than a scratch.

Loki felt the constant terror rooted in his gut expand until he struggled for breath. Thanos reached out, hand wrapping around Loki's throat.

The dagger fell from his hand as he was lifted off the floor.

Thanos grinned. "You will regret that."

* * *

The landscape disappeared, and he was in a dark cave, the feel of Thanos's hand still on his neck.

Loki gasped, his breath coming rapidly. He never…his dreams usually ended when he heard Thanos's voice…he'd never…not that moment when he knew it was over.

Even his haunted mind would not allow him to relive that. He could still feel the hand on his throat and the sheer fear and Thor's hand as he held him against the wall, glaring at him with pure hatred as he choked him of breath.

"It was me you know." Hel said.

Loki turned, knowing he probably looked pathetic as he gasped for breath, his face devoid of colour.

"It's why you couldn't kill him. I cursed him." Hel smiled apologetically, but Loki was focused on the skeletal part of her. Death…even now he knew if he could go back he would have slit his wrists before he fell off the Bifröst. Anything but that. "Of course, it would have made your life easier if I hadn't." She said as though what she had done was a minor inconvenience.

Loki said nothing. If Hel was here, she was here to taunt him and he wouldn't give her the satisfaction.

"Then again, if you'd just done as he asked in the first place, you never would have had to endure that. It seems to be a problem with you, doesn't it?" Hel asked.  
Loki kept his face impassive.

"Then again, maybe not. Thanos does not like willing minions very much. He likes them broken and terrified, and with no choice but to obey. In fact, he recently trusted someone with a task who turned on him, so I doubt very much if he will be making any more deals without showing him his-what did he call it- hospitality?" Hel said.

He could sense her annoyance that he wasn't reacting. It was probably because of her that he had been forced to relive that anyway. And yes it was bad but given that most nights he dreamt of what had happened to him or of his mother experiencing the same at the hand of Hel…well he wouldn't wake up screaming.

"How did it feel?" Hel asked. "I mean, the pain must have been bad, obviously." She said like it was nothing. "But knowing he enjoyed it? Realising you had no hope? That you were powerless, completely at his mercy? Knowing he was more powerful than you could ever hope to be and that the only way to make him stop, to make the pain stop-"

"What do you want, Hel?" Loki snapped, unable to remain silent any longer.

Hel smirked. "The Silvertongue speaks." She cooed.

"I will release Jormungand tomorrow, as you are well aware. Why are you here?" He asked.

Hel grinned. "Well, you didn't really think I'd let you go with just a slap on the wrist for bringing a mortal to Helheim?"

Loki raised an eyebrow. "So your plan is to force me to have dreams that I am having anyway?"

"No, Frost Giant, I'm going to destroy you. I'm going to make you come undone and see you a quivering mess, only too happy to serve me. Thanos did it through physical torture, but you have such horrors in your past, you wouldn't mind if I used them?" Hel's bone jaw gaped as she smiled. "I'm going to break you."

Loki was rather unimpressed. "Good luck with that." He said.

"You are haunted by your past,  _Laufeyson_." She sneered.

"Yes, but I accept it. Try if you must." Loki snorted. "After Thanos, you really think you can compare?"

Hel smirked. "Yes, I do."

* * *

Loki woke naked, with Darcy lying next to him in the bed of his cell. No other cells had furniture. Somehow, he didn't think this was what his mother had in mind when she'd put the bed in his room.

The thought of his mother brought a small smile to his face, quite the opposite reaction to how he normally felt at the thought of his mother these days.

She would have demanded to meet Darcy, as she had anyone he had courted over the years. And he was certain she would have loved her.

And he really wished they had met.

Loki stroked Darcy's skin gently. She really was beautiful. And in a way that was so uncommon in Asgardians, who tended towards being tall, athletic and proper. Darcy was soft and loud and inappropriate. He loved her for it.

His eyes widened in alarm as the thought flitted through his head. Of course he didn't mean he loved her…he simply enjoyed her personality. Still, the word 'love' being applied to anyone in any sense was worrying.

Love was vulnerability. Another thing for someone to use against him.

And yet, watching her he could not find the resentment he would have expected at showing weakness, at caring for another.

And had he…courting her? The world was ending, it was hardly time to apply meaningless labels to whatever it was she was to him. He liked her-unfortunately- and she was good in bed- fortunately.

Loki rolled his eyes, perhaps he was still intoxicated. He had drunk a normal amount, Darcy had thankfully brought the strong drinks, but given that he had not drunk much alcohol in the past few years…yes, he was probably still intoxicated.

The temptation to rest his head back on the pillow was strong, but he could not risk dreaming again. He needed a few hours at least to recover when the memory of what he had endured was fresh in his mind.

Instead, he climbed out of the bed-  _Valhalla, Darcy took up a lot of room, did she have to sprawl out like that?_ -and grabbed the book on the desk. He assumed that they had searched his room but after a quick mental check he established that none of the important volumes had been discovered. After Darcy had found the Prophecies of The Great he had decided to hide things a bit better.

And speaking of the prophecy…He couldn't have been a blond muscled idiot who could wield a hammer, could he? Life would be much easier.

He turned the book to the page he was last on. The prophecy stated a sea monster would be released on Midgard. Which was all very well of course apart from the fact that it was a specific sea monster, one that he could only find mythological references for.

It held up Midgard. Which was false. Yggdrasil did that.

If Hel wanted this apocalypse so badly, could she not do the research? Loki was tired of reading myths- he'd resorted to Midgardian books at one point. That was a mistake, he didn't know what he'd done to offend the Midgardians- well aside from recent history- but they apparently did not like him very much.

In fact, they said this sea monster was a child of his. And Hel. And Fenrir. And Sleipnir.

Frankly, Loki did not even want to question how such suppositions of promiscuity and bestiality came upon him. Although, he could always mention to Darcy that she was next in a line of attractive sexual partners…

He read until he formed an idea of where the monster was.

"Loki?" Darcy mumbled sleepily.

Loki started, having forgotten that she was there.

"You have to leave." He said. He may be escaping today, but Darcy had to maintain her position with the others, to know whether they discovered what was happening or not. If the guards found her here, that probably wouldn't happen.

"What?" She asked. He turned and saw her bolt awake. "Shit."

She jumped out of bed and Loki tried very hard not to change his mind about her leaving when he saw her naked. She pulled her clothes on quickly, reminding him of her reaction the first time he'd bedded her.

"Okay, so have you decided how to get out of here yet?" Darcy asked.

"Oh it won't be here that is the issue." Loki said.

"I'm going to take that as a yes then." Darcy rolled her eyes. Loki suppressed a smirk. "Okay then what? It's sea serpent time isn't it?"

"You aren't coming." Loki said.

Darcy shook her head, eyes widening. "No. I have to. Hel…she visited me last night in my dream. She said if I didn't…."

Loki found his fingers itching for Hel's neck. "Is that all she said?"

Darcy swallowed and looked away. "She…she kind of made me dream some stuff." She shook her head and looked at him. "She made me dream about finding out my dad had died. But that's my worst memory so it's not like she can do anything worse."

His jaw tightened. He would kill Hel. Somehow. Even if it was after all this when everyone lived in Helheim- he would kill her.

He'd planned for simply being able to leave Darcy here, but if Hel said she had to come, he didn't have much of a choice. Hel needed him, he couldn't die. He doubted she needed Darcy quite so much.

It would be a lot of magic.

"I will meet you in the library." He said.

Darcy nodded and walked up to him, encircling her arms around him. He hugged her back, kissing her cheek lightly. He wanted her safe. A foolish thing to want, given that in no version of events would Darcy be safe but she could be a lot safer than she was now.

"I'll see you soon." Darcy said, looking at him with a hint of worry. "Please be okay."

"Worried?" He smirked.

She faltered for a second, her lips starting to form words she decided not to say. She bit her lip. "Yes." She said simply.

His mind raced as he tried not to wonder what those unspoken words might have been. Best not to worry too much, nor appear too affectionate.

Loki rolled his eyes, feeling slightly guilty as he did so. "I will not be whipped, Darcy."

"Yeah, you'd better not." Darcy said, eyebrows furrowing. "Because if you do, I'll make it look like a few scratches."

It was not the first time he was confused by her. "You threaten me to not do something I don't want to do anyway?"

"Call it extra motivation." She smirked. "Bitch."

He frowned, not having remembered that conversation until that moment.

He waved his hand, sending her back to his room, along with the liquor bottles.

It was impossible to know what time it was in the dungeons, but the morning meal had not been delivered yet. He recalled the guard's smirk as he'd delivered the first one during his last stay, clearly receiving vindictive happiness from the fact a former prince had had to eat it. Like he hadn't been surviving on worse.

In honesty, the dungeons had been quite relaxing. Thanos could not reach him there, his mother had visited him and aside from spending the majority of his time attempting to will himself out of existence it had been rather pleasant.

He sent the book back to his room, and a few moments later two guards arrived.

"Stand against the far wall." One said to him while the other smiled at the manacles he held.

Loki knew there was no point resisting. The guards would jump at any opportunity for violence.

He rose to his feet and took the few steps needed to lean against the back wall.

The energy field de-activated and they walked towards him. There was no point trying to escape now, the field would go immediately back up if it sensed a disturbance.

"You looking forward to this _, Laufeyson_?" The guard with the manacles sneered as he roughly pulled Loki's hands in front of him and into the chains.

"Very much so." Loki smiled, thinking of escaping.

"Silence." The other guard said, tightly gripping Loki's arm and turning him round. Ahhh, so they wished to taunt him without him being able to respond? He never had liked the dungeon guards much. The cruellest of the warriors.

"You know everyone's been placing bets since news of your punishment was spread. How long it will take for you to cry and scream and black out, that kind of thing." The first guard said as they walked Loki through the dungeons. "Personally, I just want to watch you try not to, to see the pain in your eyes as you try not to show it hurts."

Loki rolled his eyes in exasperation. It was rather sad that this was probably the highlight of the guard's day. Ending the world was looking more and more inviting with each person he met.

"Stop mocking the prisoner, Egil." The second guard said, but he didn't sound too irritated.

"Oh, come on," Egil said. "We're going to have to carry him back after this. I won't get another chance."

They'd reached the end of the cells in the dungeons and had entered a plain hallway, which connected to the other parts.

"No," Loki said. "I'm afraid you won't."

They went to turn to him, but Loki was already moving. He kicked Egil, causing the guard to fly into the wall opposite.

The other's hand reached for Loki, trying to refrain him but Loki turned, twisting his body closer before head-butting the guard who doubled over in shock giving Loki the perfect opportunity to bring his knee up hard into the guard's face.

The guard crumpled to the floor, and Loki felt the point of a sword at the side of his neck.

"On your knees, now." Egil said.

Loki tensed, slowly lowering himself so the point slipped away from his neck. And then he rapidly span, knocking the sword away. Before the guard even knew what had happened, the chain of Loki's handcuffs was wrapped round his neck.

The guard tried to knock Loki off but Loki tightened his arms until the guard instead clawed at the chain, leaving deep red gashes on his neck.

A few moments later Loki felt the guard go limp, and he threw his body on the ground in disgust.

He had expected to feel some kind of happiness, even if just with him escaping rather than him killing the guards but he felt nothing. Just hollow.

He reached down and grabbed a dagger from Egil's waist and scratched at the runes inscribed on the chain. The metal would not be able to be cut through but…Loki managed to scratch a rune away, and with the sequence of runes broken his magic flowed back through him. The manacles opened and he teleported himself to his room. After all, he had a sea monster to unleash.

* * *

Darcy paced in the library. She'd been here ages, flicking through any books that looked like they might be useful. And she'd drunk a lot of water because, well, Asgardian alcohol was strong.

And still Loki wasn't here. Shouldn't he be here?

She had no idea what to expect today though she assumed water would be involved.

Where was he?

She sensed him rather than heard him arrive, as he was silent but she felt him behind her.

"We must go quickly." He said. "They have probably already discovered I am missing."

And before she could react, his arm was round her waist, pulling her to him and as she was pushed into that horrible darkness once again she at least had the feeling this time of Loki's body against her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Biffy Clyro's A Tragic World Record.
> 
> Please review.


	27. The Heart of This Ember

When her eyes opened again, she saw rocks all around her. The wind cut at her exposed skin like a knife, and she was thankful for the warm clothing.

She opened her mouth to ask where they were, but Loki kissed her lips forcefully.

Darcy smiled against his lips, confused but happy. Unfortunately, it was over far too quickly.

He pulled away, his arm leaving her.

"What was that for?" She asked.

"There is a very real possibility you may die doing this." He said as though stating there was a good chance of rain. But then he looked at her with such intensity, she felt self-conscious. "I would appreciate it if you would not."

Darcy smiled. "Don't worry, I won't."

Then she saw something red on his neck that definitely wasn't a hickey.

"Loki!" Darcy said in alarm, reaching her fingers forwards. It was only a bit of blood, she established, but it didn't bode well given that they had not even reached wherever this sea-monster was yet. "You're bleeding. What happened? How did you escape?"

Loki wiped the blood away impatiently. "It's fine. A guard held his sword to my throat and told me to kneel."

Darcy smirked at the hypocrisy of is annoyance but raised an eyebrow. "And how did you kill him?"

"I strangled him with my chains." Loki said.

It was very odd how that didn't even register as bad with Darcy. She was becoming worryingly desensitised to stuff like that, especially when there were things that were so much worse happening.

Instead, she nodded, reminding herself that if he hadn't Loki would be bloody on a whipping post right now. "Okay, so where are we? Is this where the monster is?"

Loki shook his head and began walking up the rocky path. "The monster is on Midgard. I cannot travel between dimensions, well with the exception of back from Helheim. This is a path through Yggdrassil to Midgard."

"Ummm, I hate to break this to you but I'm pretty sure there are no sea monsters on Earth." Darcy said. Then again, some of the stuff at the bottom of the ocean…

"It is said to hold up the planet." Loki said. "Though I believe that may be a more poetic way of saying it is entrapped beneath it."

"Beneath it?" Darcy asked. "Dude, this is insane. And how will we survive that anyway?"

"As I said, it will take a large amount of magic."

Darcy nodded. Great. Inside the Earth. Well this worked.

She was so done with Norse things. Their Gods. Their monsters. And especially their apocalypse predictions. She glanced at Loki. Okay so maybe not all their things. But everything else. Definitely.

"Anything else I should know about this monster?" Darcy asked.

"In some accounts, it can breathe poison." Loki said simply.

Darcy squinted at him. "You are so lying."

"Unfortunately no, but I do not particularly believe it either." Loki said. He held his hand out for her and she was unable to hide her look of surprise quickly enough. He smirked at her. "I do not trust you to be able to navigate this terrain without breaking your neck."

Darcy rolled her eyes but took his hand anyway. "You're such a prick at times."

"Only at times? Well, Miss Lewis, you have grown fond of me after all." Loki said.

"If I have to help with an apocalypse, can it not be alongside someone so annoying?" She asked.

"Would you like to climb this unaided?" Loki asked.

But now Darcy had started she knew he was right about her not being able to do it alone. In fact, even as he said that, she slipped on a loose stone and would have fallen, if he hadn't grabbed her.

"Thanks." She muttered.

To his credit, he did not say "I told you so" nor any variation of it.

"Through here." He said, pointing to a tiny crack in the rock.

"Dude I know you're a beanpole and everything but even you can't fit in there. Let alone me." Darcy said, wondering if the stress was going to Loki's head.

"Trust me." He said, pulling her over.

He moved shoulder first into the crack and somehow managed to fit in. Darcy barely had time to be shocked before his hand pulled her through too.

Darcy blinked in surprise. This was not a cave. It was outside and hilly and so cold she felt like she might instantly freeze, despite the so called weather proof clothing.

However, before she could so much as shiver her eyes were forced closed, and all sense of temperature disappeared. When she opened her eyes she saw they'd moved. It was still really cold, but in comparison it was warm.

All she could see was snow for miles. Her feet were buried in it, but the travel boots were at least water proof. Beneath the snow were patches of grass and rock until the snow turned to ice.

"Um, care to explain what just happened, and where we are?" Darcy asked.

She could practically sense his eye roll. "The gap between realms took us to Norway. I then took us here, because it seems the most likely place."

"And where is here?" Darcy asked. "You do realise it's a lake, right? Not the ideal place to find a sea monster."

"Scotland. All the lore I could find suggested there would be a way to find it here." Loki said.

Something began to click in Darcy's head. Scotland…lake…sea monster.

Dude. No.

Darcy began to giggle. "The Loch Ness monster-are you serious?"

Loki slowly shook his head in exasperation. "There is strong magic here, I can feel it. I think perhaps that myth may have evolved from the entrapment of Jormungand here."

Welll, it made sense she supposed. It was just too amusing to think. The Loch Ness monster…destroyer of worlds.

Her hands began to grow cold as the chill snapped at them. "Why is it so cold? I mean, it's the start of summer now and I know it's Scotland and everything but snow? Really?"

Loki arched an eyebrow. "Three year winter."

"Oh…yeah. Wait, if it is a three year winter, why are we doing all this now? Don't we have three years?"

"Technically, it is the winter of three. You had winter as usual, winter for spring and…"

"Winter for summer." Darcy finished. "Right. Great."

"Now come on." Loki said, "We must find the way into wherever this creature is trapped."

"And how do we do that?" Darcy asked.

"Magic." Loki answered simply.

"Ah right, of course." She said sarcastically. "The answer to all life's and apocalypse causing problems."

It was all just so weird that she could almost pretend it wasn't really happening.

"So what happens after this?" Darcy asked. "You know, are there any more stages or…?"

Or farewell universe?

And she felt guilt swell inside her for what she was doing but she couldn't let her dad go through any more pain. She couldn't. And even if she didn't help it would happen anyway.

She sighed. She had to stop whining about it. She'd made her decision, so she needed to suck it up and be prepared for the world to hate her in the afterlife.

"Here." Loki said, stopping at a completely random point in the nothingness of the snow. Darcy had been expecting more of a grand entrance like a huge sign in rocks that said the destroyer of Earth was entrapped there.

This was…well nothing.

"Are you sure?" She asked, feeling it was a bit too ordinary.

"Yes." Loki said, taking his dagger from his belt.

Darcy frowned. Maybe Loki had lost his sanity after all. They were at a barren point in a field with nothing to stab.

But before she could say anything, he'd raised the point to the back of his arm and slit.

"Oh my god, what are you doing?" Darcy asked as he begun to walk in a circle, his blood dropping and shining brighter than ever in the snow.

"It is strong magic that can only be broken with blood magic. Silence, I need to concentrate." He said before closing his eyes. He dropped his blood in a pattern like the runes she'd seen on those sheets in his room. He muttered under his breath in a language she'd never heard, at once beautiful and terrifying.

He finished the complicated by rune by surrounding it in a circle of his blood, the final word of the spell ringing loud across the land.

Darcy looked at him expectantly as he wiped the dagger and replaced it at his waist. It wasn't his usual dagger and she wondered where he'd got it from.

His arm still bled so without speaking she walked forwards and began wrapping it in bandages. She'd brought only a few things in her backpack but a first aid kit was one of them and she'd had the bandages ready since he made the cut.

He watched her in amusement, clearly deciding her actions were not necessary but he allowed her to anyway. Just as she finished sealing the bandage the ground beneath her shook. She grabbed him in surprise, and slowly loosened her grip as she realised it wasn't quite as bad an Earthquake as she'd expected.

She looked down at the blood in the snow and saw that it was glowing bright red, unnaturally bright like it was lit up with LEDs.

The snow melted, but instead of revealing the ground beneath there was nothing, just hollow blackness stretching for as far as she could see.

When the whole circle had been burned away she saw that there were large, stone steps carved with thousands and thousands of runes so tiny it was hard to make them out but they led down into the darkness until they were finally swallowed by it.

She looked at Loki. "After you."

He looked at the hole with veiled intrigue, like he didn't want to admit that as awful what they were doing was, it was still kind of interesting.

Darcy followed Loki down the steps, expecting the hole above her to close and plunge them into the darkness. It didn't but soon they were so far from it that it didn't matter. She pushed her hands out to the sides of the walls, the smooth polished stone not acting as very good hand holds but better than nothing.

"Surely these stairs can't take us all the way to wherever this creature is. I mean, if it was close to the surface, then someone would have found it. Wouldn't they?" Darcy asked, more scared that they would have to walk for days on end because even from what she knew of Hel that level of exercise was a cruel and unusual punishment.

"Space is warped here, we are far deeper beneath the surface of this miserable planet than we should be." Loki said. Darcy didn't even bother to roll her eyes at his insult. Some things just weren't worth it.

"How far?" She asked instead.

"A thousand miles, perhaps." Loki said.

What the hell? They'd only been walking for ten minutes.

And then she remembered something Jane had said about the density of Asgard, and gravitational forces and things. "Umm…shouldn't there be too much pressure down here for me to be able to, like, live and stuff?" She asked.

"If you recall, I said it would be a large amount of magic." He answered.

"Oh." She said. So the only reason she was alive was Loki's magic. So if that should stop for any reason…for example Loki getting killed by a sea monster….

The walls around her shook violently, throwing Darcy to the hard steps. They moved beneath her and the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth where she'd hit her chin on the edge of a step.

"Loki!" She screamed. Was he okay? What if he was hurt or something?

There was no reply and the room continued to shake, chips of stone raining down from above.

"Shit." She swore, fumbling in the darkness.

"Are you hurt?" Loki said above her and she felt him bend over her.

She breathed a sigh of relief. "A bit." She admitted. "But not too badly. I thought you were…you stupid asshole, if I scream your name, you say something back."  
Loki grabbed her arm and helped her to her feet. She didn't know if the shaking had slowed down, or she'd just become accustomed to it.

She lived in California, it wasn't like she was a stranger to Earthquakes. She just hadn't been expecting one and certainly not while she was on very steep, sharp steps.

"I was under the impression you were screaming because you required my assistance." He said.

Well, Darcy couldn't fault him for that, she supposed.

"Let's just…go." She said.

"At least we know we have found the creature." Loki said.

"That was…" She asked in shock. "Well I don't know what I expected from a creature that can," And will, she thought, as soon as it was released. "Cause tsunamis."

Loki still held her arm like he was scared she would get herself killed just from walking down the stairs.

Was it wrong that she kind of enjoyed his protectiveness? It was certainly something she never thought she'd have from him but it gave her that tingly feeling she'd got from him following her to Helheim.

A red light began to glow in the darkness. She turned to Loki but it was nowhere near bright enough to allow her to see him.

As they drew closer Darcy saw it was another rune in a circle.

"Is that supposed to be like that or has someone else been cutting themselves?" Darcy asked.

"It is not a spell, it's a warning." Loki said. "I do not know who trapped this creature here but if they were so powerful why trap it on Midgard?"

"Look, if you insult Earth one-"

"It is not an insult." He said, slightly annoyed. "Humans are more fragile than most other beings, why entrap a creature so dangerous among them?"

That was true. She really wished they'd chosen somewhere else. "Maybe they couldn't move it, like it was too dangerous." She suggested.

Loki nodded as though this made sense. "This task becomes more appealing every minute."

They reached the door and Loki closed his eyes, a crease forming in between his eyebrows as he focused. A few seconds later they opened and the door simultaneously sunk into the ground.

Darcy squinted as she looked in, heat suddenly blasting her face. She blinked and her eyes stopped stinging.

In the cavern was a large pool of molten lava.

"Lava?" She asked Loki, eyebrow raised. He looked pale in the glow of the lava. " _Seriously?_ "

Loki looked equally unimpressed. "I did not design the stages of Ragnarök."

"Good because I don't think I could keep sleeping with someone who thought entrapping a monster in lava under Loch Ness was a good idea." Darcy said. Well to be fair she was currently being blackmailed into aiding the Norse God of Mischief start a prophesised apocalypse by the Goddess of the Dead. Really this was no weirder.

Around the pit were four chains secured to the walls and stretching into the lava.

Darcy turned to him once more and saw that he really was paler than usual (and frankly that said an awful lot), it wasn't just the lighting.

"Are you all right?" Darcy asked.

"Yes." Loki said. He didn't sound like he was lying, so hopefully he wasn't on the verge of collapsing just yet.

Darcy stepped forwards, the air feeling like a sauna. "Thanks." She said. "For the magic stuff." She was fairly certain that without whichever charms and spells he was using she would be roasting in the lava right now.

"Yes well, you are of far more use to me alive." Loki said simply.

"Well that's one way of putting it." Darcy smirked. He was behind her, but she knew he was amused.

As she drew closer she saw the chains were covered in runes just like everything else in this place.

She sighed in annoyance, wishing she could be more helpful and not just a hindrance to what Loki was trying to do.

She stepped aside to allow Loki access to them. He examined them for a moment before shaking his head in irritation. He took his dagger out.

"Wait, let me." Darcy said.

Loki frowned at her. "You cannot perform magic."

"Yeah but you can use my blood, can't you?" Darcy asked.

His frown eased into a glare. "I am _not_ using your blood."

"Why not?" Darcy demanded. "The magic is draining you enough already, I may as well."

Loki didn't look happy about it but he passed her the dagger.

She pressed the point to her palm but Loki grabbed her arm to stop her.

"What in the Nine Realms are you doing?" He asked angrily.

"Umm cutting my palm, so you can do your blood magic." She said uncertainly.

"Your palm?" He repeated. "Why would you do that? You would risk injuring your hand? Do you have any idea how many nerves and muscles there are in your hand that you could sever by-"

"Okay!" She said. "I get it! God, not all of us studied magic and healing for centuries, okay? That's just how they do it in books and films and that's kind of all I have for reference when it comes to freaking blood magic."

She turned her arm over, remembering that Loki had sliced along his arm.

She placed the edge of the knife there instead. "Here?" She asked.

Loki nodded and she pressed the edge down, feeling the sharp sting of the blade. She drew it down her arm, and watched as blood beaded. She was careful not to go too deep.

When the cut was made, she passed her arm to Loki and he held it over the chains, tilting it so the blood trickled down her arm.

He began muttering his incantation before the first drop of her blood had even fallen.

The chain began to shiver and the surface of the magma bubbled and rippled ominously.

Without warning, every link on the chain shattered and fell to the ground.

Loki pulled her to the next chain.

"Quickly." He said. "There is no point in wasting your blood."

The same thing happened at the next one. Afterwards, Loki looked like he might collapse, but he pulled her hurriedly to the third where she had to reopen the cut that had begun to clot. Her arm kind of hurt now, but it was just one cut. She was sure she'd survive.

By the time the third chain was broken waves of lava were lapping at the rock floor and the walls of the cavern were lightly trembling.

Loki's hand shook as he held her arm over the fourth, beads of sweat crowning on his forehead.

The heat was rising in the cavern, that or Loki's magic was weakening. From the look of him it was definitely the latter.

Loki's lips barely moved as he muttered the incantation.

The final chain shattered.

And the pit of lava erupted, a giant serpent with wings the size of Stark tower soared out.

Darcy reached for Loki, partly in alarm, but mostly because he seemed far too exhausted to defend himself.

She gripped the dagger. The monster hissed in her direction, but all she could do was fling her arm in front of her eyes instinctively.

Her next breath had her nearly doubled up on the floor, her insides burning. She coughed and gagged, trying to get whatever it was she'd breathed in out.

"Poisoned…breath." She choked at Loki.

He grabbed her, and she was flung into the pitch black of apparition. This time she wasn't aware of leaving that darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Chains by The Airborne Toxic Event. Okay I am a bad person I apologise I had four essays due and then I was on Sports tour and this is the first opportunity I've had to update. As in I literally got back an hour ago so if this makes no sense blame it on my two hours of sleep and intense hangover. Okay, will hopefully update next week. As always thanks for reading.
> 
> Please review.


	28. Dead Man's Eyes

When Darcy came to, she was lying in the snow with the worst headache she'd ever had and the strong sensation that she had been burnt from the insides out.

She sat up, the world spinning around her and abruptly ran a few metres ahead to empty the contents of her stomach.

When she was heaving nothing, she began gasping at the cold air.

The entire left side of her body stung like hell. She was almost too scared to look, as images of what had happened flashed through her mind.

Biting her lip, she peeled back her sleeve. A gasp of surprise and pain escaped her lips, as she revealed the bright red, blistered skin beneath. That fabric must have been indestructible, but her skin unfortunately wasn't.

"Okay…okay, keep calm." She spoke out loud, not wanting to go into shock or anything, and believing herself capable of that at any moment.

She closed her eyes, trying to block out the pain and focus. Loki. Shit.

Her head whipped round, and she saw him lying a few metres from where she had been.

She ran over to him, all thoughts of her own pain suddenly gone from her mind in favour of her worry for him.

"Loki!" She shouted, hoping he would wake up and be fine. Or better yet start laughing and saying he was only pretending to see her reaction.

She knelt down beside him, hand reaching almost automatically for his face as she said his name repeatedly.

Nothing.

She brought her cheek to his lips, breath held. She almost cheered in happiness when she felt his breath against her. Even if it was ridiculously weak.

Next, her fingers fumbled for his neck, trying to feel his heart beating. She felt the soft thrum of it against her fingers. It was slow. Really slow. She didn't know if that was because he was a different species, or whether she should be worried because of it.

She fumbled with the latches on his leather. She knew she probably shouldn't be removing layers when he was lying in snow, but she had to check if he had been hurt by the heat. For all she knew, it was even worse for him because he was a Frost Giant. Hopefully that little detail would mean he wasn't in danger of pneumonia from lying in the snow.

Glancing up, she realised they were still by Loch Ness.

She assumed there would be hotels or something nearby given that it was a tourist place, but she had no money, and even if she did someone might recognise Loki and whichever way they looked at it, he'd killed thousands of people. No, the last thing they would do is help him.

It was probably a good thing she'd had sex with him so much, because she was now an expert at getting his ridiculously complex clothes off. There were no burns, so either he'd never had any or he'd healed. Either way, she quickly did his clothes back up again.

No burns, and he was out cold. Out cold for longer than she was, and she'd breathed that poison that even now made her feel like she was rotting on the inside. Was he really just exhausted from using magic? But he used magic all the time and relied on it for battles and stuff.

She rummaged in her backpack, pulling out the first aid kit, before realising there wasn't really anything in it for magic exhaustion. She needed pro-plus or some other caffeine pill.

She had food, but he wasn't really in any state to eat it.

No…there was only one thing she could try, but she didn't even know if it would work.

She leant over Loki, hugging him close and terrified it wouldn't work. But she couldn't leave him here, especially if he needed help. And he might not die but…well who knew what would happen now that thing was released. And if Darcy remembered correctly…that was the last thing they had to do.

No, it had to work. He couldn't…he had to be okay. The sight of him lying there was too much. Out loud she said: "You'd better fucking wake up if I do this, you bastard, because I can't believe you are making me resort to this." Inside, she simply prayed he would be okay.

"Hel!" She shouted, certain that the goddess was paying attention. After all, this was kind of her most important thing happening.

Nothing.

"Hel! I know you are watching this, get your ass down here!" Darcy screamed to the air. "Come on, we both did as you asked, now it's your turn to actually do something for this apocalypse you want so badly."

"Well there's no need to scream like a banshee." A voice said behind her.

Darcy's head whipped round so quickly her neck cricked.

Hel scowled. "You know, I may only have one ear but I can hear you perfectly well."

Darcy stood up. "Make him okay." She said.

Hel frowned in distaste at Loki. "He is perfectly fine. The fool has simply exhausted himself."

"Exhausted himself doing what you told him to." Darcy snapped, trying very hard to hide just how much she hated Hel.

"Nonsense." Hel sneered grotesquely with the one expressive half of her face. "He had more than enough magic to do what I asked of him. In truth, he is one of the strongest sorcerers in this universe, second only to Thanos in terms of magical power. Although that is a very different kind of power. No, he could have managed that. It would have made him weak, yes, but he would not have exhausted himself. He did that protecting  _you._ " She sneered the word.

"Because you made me go." Darcy snapped.

"He did not protect you because I made you go. He protected you because he cares for you. He could have just as easily let you die." Hel laughed. "I admit, of all the things I thought may deter the Frost Giant from my will, affection for a mortal was not one of them. His brother perhaps…"

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Hel, just because you're jealous of the love even Loki has, doesn't mean you can be a prick about it."

Hel laughed. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"Well, it must be pretty lonely being the only semi-living one surrounded by the dead." Hel's smile faltered momentarily, and Darcy knew she'd struck a nerve somehow. If this was the only thing she had against Hel then she'd milk it for all it was worth. "In the myths, you were rejected by the Asgardians and whether that happened or not the point is you want love."

"I would never desire something so-"

"Sorry, let me correct myself. You wanted love. You wanted someone to care for you. But I think you're past that now. That loneliness has fuelled whatever hate you now have. It's why you hate Loki, right? Because even someone who's done all that he has, he still has people who care about him."

"You dare-"

"Yes, I dare." Darcy said boldly because the world was ending so she may as well. "You know I think there might still be a part of you that hopes if everyone is dead, if they're all in Helheim there will be someone who would hold some affection for you. But if not then you'll control them all anyway. Because if you couldn't make them love you then you'd make them fear you. Any attention is better than none, right?" She felt a guilty twist in her stomach as she remembered that's what she used to think of Loki, after she'd discovered he was a frost giant and before she found out he'd been tortured into acting.

"I would kill you for your insolence, if I did not long to make you watch your loved ones burn and die." Hel hissed. Darcy pretty much considered that her point proven. "But when the world ends…when you are finally in my realm…" She laughed. "Well, let us say I look forward to it."

"Yeah, whatever." Darcy said because she was sick of being scared and she wasn't going to be frightened of this bitch for a moment later. "Although some advice, if you want people to like you then stop manipulating, stop trying to kill people and be nicer. It helps and awful lot." It did with Loki.

"If I wanted your advice, I would ask for it." Hel snapped. "I do not know where you have obtained these ideas nor why you feel you have a right to voice them."

Well Darcy was a high school dork: in depth character analysis was her thing. But sure, she could give the credit to her AP Psychology class.

"It's the last task, right?" Darcy asked, interrupting Hel in her rant.

She faltered, before nodding. "Yes, even now the fates align. I can sense it. The events have been set in motion." She grinned. "It begins."

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Dude, are you trying to be a pantomime character on purpose? Calm the melodrama. Anyway, you need Loki for the rest of it, right? Do you have the time to wait for him to recover."

"As a matter of fact, I need him now. He will be coming with me." Hel said.

No…No Loki couldn't go with Hel.

"Oh, don't worry you foolish mortal. You will see him again soon. He simply has to arrive at the battlefield on Naglfar with my army." Hel said.

Darcy's teeth grit. She couldn't prevent the apocalypse, but she could make Loki okay.

"Fine, then heal him." Darcy said.

Hel flicked her hand, and Loki gasped.

Darcy wanted to run to him but she maintained eye contact with Hel, tired of being that bitch's puppet.

"Darcy?" Loki asked. "Hel." He greeted, less happily. "What is going on?"

"Your toy was begging for me to heal you." Hel said.

"Bitch, the day I beg to you is the day Helheim freezes over." Darcy hissed.

Hel grinned. "I look forward to that challenge after Ragnarök." Then she turned to Loki. "You exhausted yourself for a mortal."

Loki glared at her "You know as well as I do that those temperatures would have killed her. Even before she inhaled the poison, she was in danger of dying."

Darcy's burns seemed to sear hotter. So Loki had got rid of most of the poison, and got them out of there? No wonder the guy had passed out, he'd looked like he was going to before that anyway.

"Well, I certainly would not have got in the way of her dying." Hel stated.

"Thanks hon, love you too." Darcy muttered.

Hel gasped before grinning, evil glee glinting in her eye. "The fates are ready. Frost Giant you will come with me. Mortal, you shall return to Asgard in time to watch it burn."

"Darcy," Loki said, looking at her intently in that way he only did when he desperately needed her to take him seriously. "Stay out of this, please. Don't go to the battle. Don't get yourself hurt. I don't…please, I lo-," He shook his head. "Just please stay safe."

Darcy just blinked at him in shock, his begging couldn't be anymore of a confession of affection and she was completely unprepared for it.

"Did you miss that part where the universe was being destroyed?" Hel asked scornfully. "Safe is not a part of that."

Hel flicked her hand, and Darcy was thrown backwards into that god forsaken darkness once again.

* * *

 

Unlike when Loki transported them, Hel's practically threw Darcy from the darkness sending her sprawling to the floor.

"Darcy!" A shocked Erika gasped. Great. Darcy was in her own room then. "Are you all right?"

She gripped Darcy's arm- thankfully the one that wasn't horrendously burnt- and helped her to her feet. "I'm fine." Darcy said as the room stopped spinning.

"Where have you been?" Erika asked. "Everyone's been looking for you."

Darcy shook her head, trying to focus on the real issue here and not Loki's absence. "It doesn't matter…I mean…it does. I need to talk to everyone now. Can you help get everyone?"

Erika looked uncertain.

"I swear it's really important. And I mean like, all Asgardians have to be there. Everyone." Darcy said, not blinking. She needed Erika's help, certain only the servants would be able to round everyone up quickly enough.

Erika hesitated before nodding. "Very well."

Darcy was hit by a sudden wave of appreciation for the handmaiden. It must have taken a lot of trust in her for Erika to be willing to do this.

"Thanks." Darcy said, swinging her arms around her neck.

Erika quickly hugged her back before leaving.

Darcy ran to Loki's room. She needed proof. They had to be ready for what was coming. Loki may have started Ragnarök. That didn't mean Ragnarök had to be successful. Right?

It took her a while to find the book she was looking for, because of how messed up his room was. At last she spotted the dark blue leather and grabbed at it, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw the gold lettering spelled out  _Prophecies of The Great_.

She'd spent so long searching, that she was certain all the Asgardians would be assembled in the throne room and as she reached it she saw she was right.

The faces were not altogether supportive. Some glared at her in annoyance, others in disgust. Some looked curious and others were too focused on her chest to have any expression that didn't make her want to vomit.

But Loki was with Hel, so she couldn't feel too self-pitying.

"Darcy." Thor called striding up to her. He lowered his voice as he reached her. "Darcy what is the meaning of this?" He whispered. "The Aesir will not be happy to have been called here for no good reason."

"Loki's missing isn't he?" Darcy asked.

Thor frowned at her. "Darcy, tell me you did not aid him in his escape. Half here already believe that, and it is taking all of my influence as prince to stop them from arresting you." He looked at her so gravely she could hardly believe it was Thor. "Or worse."

Darcy shook her head. "No, I didn't help, but there's a good reason he's gone. And trust me, it's one everyone is going to want to hear."

Thor still looked doubtful.

"Trust me." She urged as forcefully as possible.

He nodded. Wow. A lot of people trusted her given that she'd been fucking a guy they all thought dead, while not telling anyone he was even alive let alone causing the apocalypse. She wondered how they'd react to knowing she had been roped into helping too.

She walked past Thor and up to the front, where an outraged Odin stood. Thor hurried to talk to his father.

Darcy figured she'd better get started before a riot ensued.

She stood a few steps up on the way to the throne so everyone could see her. Jane, Volstagg, Sif and Fandral stood in the front watching her in confusion. She almost wished she could tell them privately.

"Umm hi." She said. To her surprise they quickly went quiet. "Thanks for all coming here, I know you're really busy. This is just something you should all hear."

"Really?" One man called, sparking outraged cries from the more disgruntled of the Asgardians.

Thor joined her. "Quiet!" He yelled, immediately silencing the crowd. "What Lady Darcy has to say is important. You shall give her the respect she deserves."

She was fairly certain if anyone other than Thor had said that she would have been met with a stupendous roar of "Respect? For a mortal?!"

Instead silence rang through the huge room as no one dared speak lest they be seen as going against Thor's commands.

"Ragnarok," Darcy said, the word echoing through the silence. She could tell it was a powerful word to those assembled from the way they tensed. "Has started."

She expected outcries and yelling. Instead, only shocked and scared silence met her, the quiet suddenly seeming a thousand times deeper.

Thor turned to her, the fear on his face only muted because he refused to believe it. "Darcy, is this true?" He asked.

She nodded solemnly, needing them to believe her.

"For those of you who do not know, this is what the prophecy is, or an abbreviated form of it at any rate." She said and commenced to read it.

"She's lying!" A voice yelled as she finished. "Those events haven't occurred yet!"

Urgh, she was tired of ignorant voices.

She saw Thor move but was already talking. "Deny it all you want but the universe is ending. As a Jotun raised in Asgard, Loki was the one prophesised to cause it."

Cries of outrage greeted her but Thor held a hand up to silence them. "He did die on Svartalfheim protecting the universe from the threat of the Dark Elves. Only, Hel wanted Ragnarok to happen, after all if everyone died that was more power for her. Loki refused to do it-"

"The Frost Giant refuse? Ha! I doubt that!"

Darcy sent the speaker a withering look. "Don't speak out loud. You lower the intelligence of the entire room." Okay so she could paraphrase Sherlock right? It wasn't like anyone in Asgard had ever seen it. "Anyway Loki refused to do it but as the Goddess of Helheim she was able to threaten his dead mother and blackmail him into acting. Say what you want about Loki- actually wait a second don't, you're all dickheads about him- but he loved Frigga.

"He returned the casket to the Jotuns to start the three year winter, although that's a loose translation. He released Fenrir, the creature who is prophesised to kill the Allfather." Darcy politely nodded to Odin. "The sun and moon were consumed in an eclipse. He tried to stop Hel, but his attempt failed, and she instead increased his torment. Earlier today, the sea-serpent whose destiny is to kill Thor was released. Ragnarok is starting and you have to be ready!" She finished.

She really hoped they believed her.

And indeed a few faces looked like they did, but more began to shout that she was lying.

Everyone silenced however when a pillar of smoke erupted behind her, she caught the light in the corner of her eye and turned to see a woman appear.

Her hair was red, as were the wings that spread out behind her, the scarlet plumage spreading most of the width of the hall. Her eye sockets too and the dress she wore, even the fire she had appeared in and the glow that surrounded her were all the same shade of bright red.

"I am Gullinkambi." She spoke, her voice ethereal: deep and raspy. Her pure red eyes made it seem like she was possessed as she addressed the assembled Aesir.

"Ragnarok is nigh. The fall of the Gods. The destruction of the universe. The reversal off creation. It begins."

She finished, and another column of fire engulfed her.

Darcy opened her mouth to speak, but the hall erupted in conversation and Odin bustled up.

"I do not know what damage my son has been forced to perform." He said and Darcy felt her heart flutter at the sentence. The world  _must_  be ending if Odin was admitting Loki was his son, and accepting that he had been forced to do this. "But we must try to prevent any worse from occurring."

Odin turned to the assembled Aesir. "We must go to Vigrid and defeat the armies that would destroy us. Only then can the fall of the gods be prevented. It shall be perilous, but the universe itself is at stake. We must stand together as Aesir and stop this apocalypse."

In the distance, Heimdall's battle horn sounded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from This House Is A Circus by Arctic Monkeys. Once again I feel there should be a "dun dun duuuuh" sound effect at the end. I shall try to update regularly but it is exam season once again so please forgive me if it takes me a while. Thanks for all the reviews and stuff, you lot are forever the best. 
> 
> Please review.


	29. It's Not A Rapture

Darcy ran after Thor, yelling his name.

He paused, but was clearly in a hurry.

"Thor, we can't do this." She said. "Going to Vigrid is exactly what the prophecy says happens!"

"Yes, which is why we must." He said impatiently.

"If you go to Vigrid, you're just getting one step closer to the universe ending! If you do something else the future isn't so certain." Darcy said.

"You cannot escape fate. In general, prophecies cannot be avoided." He said.

"But what if it was just guidelines for what not to do. Especially one this explicit. I mean, without the prophecy Loki wouldn't have known what to do." Darcy said.

Thor winced and paused as though thinking of the right words. "My brother actually died on Svartalfheim?" He asked. There was a wariness in his eyes that suggested he did not know what answer to hope for.

Darcy nodded.

"Then what he said was true? His apology and…when he died…it was true?" He asked.

"Yes." She confirmed.

Thor blinked and looked away. "I called him a monster. I gave up on him. All this time he was simply protecting our mother."

"Then don't let that be in vain." Darcy said, knowing she was close to sounding like a bad film. "Don't let what he was forced to do under threat actually lead to the end of the universe. Stay here. Or…there was a place listed that survived. Ivadol or something. Go there. Don't do what it says."

"Stay here and let the rest of the universe be destroyed?" Thor asked. He shook his head. "I am sorry Darcy. I cannot allow that. We will go to Vigrid."

"Thor!" Darcy called after him as he walked away.

"I am sorry, Darcy." He said. "I must prepare for battle."

"Darcy!" A voice called. Jane.

Darcy turned and saw the astrophysicist running towards her.

Jane enveloped Darcy in a hug before Darcy even knew what was happening.

"Can't…breathe." She choked. In truth, she was pressing on her burns and the agony almost made her pass out.

"I don't care." Jane said. "I'm so sorry."

She let go. Darcy scowled at her. "Dude what on Earth are you sorry for?"

"I…well I'm sorry for what I said about Loki. And I'm sorry you had to keep Ragnarok a secret." Jane said.

Darcy shrugged. "I tried to stop it."

"When Loki did?" Jane asked.

Darcy nodded.

"Oh my God, Darce!" Jane pointed at Darcy's arm and she looked down to see blood seeping through the fabric.

"Shit." She swore, some of the blisters must have burst. No wonder it hurt so much.

Jane narrowed her eyes and grabbed Darcy's arm before Darcy could protest or resist. She yanked the sleeve up and gasped.

"Darcy what the hell?" She demanded. "How did this happen?"

"It doesn't matter." She mumbled.

"Come on we are going to the medical wing." Jane said, pulling her along, thankfully by her other arm.

"I'm fine!" Darcy protested.

"Those are second degree burns at the very least." Jane snapped.

"Yes, and Ragnarok is happening. I think we have bigger problems." Darcy argued back.

"Have you seen the med wing? They can fix it in two seconds. Now, tell me how the hell that happened." Jane said.

Darcy didn't answer, not wanting to confess what she'd done.

"Darcy the universe is kind of ending. And you've kept so much stuff secret, which is so unlike you. Come on. You can trust me." Jane said.

Darcy swallowed. This whole thing had pushed her away from Jane so much. She was off sciencing while Darcy was triggering an apocalypse. The urge to tell Jane everything was suddenly overwhelming. "Obviously, the attempt to stop Hel failed. Her punishment was her using my dad the same way she used Loki's mom, to make me help cause Ragnarok."

Jane said nothing, but squeezed Darcy's arm tighter. She didn't know if it was supposed to be supportive or to stop her getting away.

"This morning, we had to release a creature trapped within the Earth. Loki protected me from the heat, but his magic faltered a bit and…yeah. I was passed out in snow for a while, so it would probably be worse if it wasn't for that." Darcy said.

"Oh my God." Jane shook her head. "I'm so sorry you got involved in that. We never should have come to Asgard."

"Ragnarok would still be happening." Darcy pointed out. "At least this way we are on the side where we can help. Besides if we'd stayed without SHIELD we'd probably be running for our lives, best case scenario."

Jane nodded and they finally turned the corner into the medical wing.

Workers were running around, throwing things into bags.

"What's happening?" Jane asked.

"The apocalypse." One healer said like it was obvious. Which Darcy was glad about, at least they finally knew. "We expect a lot of wounded, and we doubt they will be able to come to us."

Then she looked up, and saw who it was.

"By the Nine…" She muttered.

The mortal love of the future king and the girl who foretold the apocalypse. Yeah, at this point Darcy didn't know which one of them made more of an appearance.

"Darcy has some bad burns on her arm." Jane said before looking at Darcy sharply. "Wait, are they anywhere else?"

"Down the side of my leg." Darcy admitted quietly.

Jane looked like she might strangle Hel with her bare hands.

"Yes, yes, come sit." The healer said.

She grabbed a jar of some paste.

Darcy sat where she'd gestured.

"Come on, shirt off." The healer said.

Darcy tugged the shirt off, figuring the end of the world was no time for modesty.

Jane gasped.

Darcy glared at her, and the physicist blushed.

"I'll…I'll just wait over here." Jane said.

The healer quickly applied the paste to her arm and leg. It felt so good Darcy didn't want to move, but instead she pulled her clothes back on, thanked the healer and left with Jane on her arm.

"Shouldn't you rest and let it heal?" Jane asked.

"Apocalypse, Jane. Thor is going to Vigrid. I'm not letting Loki go there alone. Would you let Thor go without you?" Darcy asked.

Jane bit her lip and shook her head.

"So…Loki and you. Obviously, it's more than sex." She said.

"Yep it's apocalypse starting too apparently." Darcy said bitterly.

"Hey, don't blame yourself for that." Jane said.

"Why not? I did it." Darcy snapped. It was kind of nice to admit her guilt in a weird way. She'd kept it from Loki, because she knew it would make his own worse.

She'd barely admitted it to herself but yeah, irrational though she knew she was it was there.

"No, it was Hel." Jane said. "She made you."

"I had a choice." Darcy said. "I chose this."

"Do you blame Loki for choosing his mom?" Jane asked.

Darcy shook her head.

"Well then you don't get blamed for choosing your dad either." Jane said decidedly. "Now anyway, you know what I meant. You and Loki…is it like Thor and I?"

Darcy deigned not to answer that.

"Sif!" Darcy called, thankful for the warrior's appearance. Heaven only knew she needed a distraction from that conversation.

The warrior had been walking along a corridor that branched from the one Jane and she were on.

She turned. "Yes?" She asked.

Darcy sensed no hostility, which she hoped meant Sif was focusing more on the whole "the world is ending" side rather than the "oh and by the way Loki caused it" side.

"Where's everyone assembling to go to Vigrid?" She asked.

Sif frowned. "At the Bifröst. You are coming?"

"Yeah." Darcy said.

"Definitely." Jane agreed.

"Thor will not be pleased." Sif pointed out.

"Then he'll have to deal with it." Jane said. "It's my choice not his."

Sif nodded her approval. "Well, you cannot go like that. Go to the weapons vault and they will sort something out for you."

"Um okay." Darcy responded hesitantly, but Sif was too busy walking off, clearly with more important apocalypse related things to sort out.

"Weapons vault is next to the courtyard, right?" Darcy said.

"Yep." Jane said so they changed their direction and headed instead to the centre of the palace.

Many other people seemed to be heading that way too. Darcy wondered whether Asgard had prepared for it. In the myths, they all knew it would happen, and tried to be prepared. The general sense she had got was that the people here saw it as a myth.

But they'd all taken her pretty seriously when she'd announced it was happening. Maybe it was just one of those things you denied was true because to accept any alternative would be too terrifying.

There was a long queue when they arrived, but at the sight of them people moved aside. Well, given that Darcy probably knew the most about the apocalypse, she decided she couldn't really waste time queuing.

Jane looked awkward queue jumping, but Darcy quite enjoyed being important enough to allow for that, even if the reason for it wasn't the nicest.

The weapons vault was huge, easily bigger than the throne room and that had been perfectly able to accommodate the majority of the city. Maybe it was even twice as big. The walls and aisles in the room glittered with blades and weapons of every sort. If there was one thing that could be said about Asgard it was that they really loved their weapons.

There were about ten arms masters, all dressed in the same uniform who handed out weapons.

The first to be done hurried over to them.

"Preferred weapons?" He asked, not wasting time with formal greetings.

"Ummm taser?" Darcy suggested.

"Something easy to use." Jane said. "We aren't planning on getting in the middle of the war, because we don't have the training. We just need to be able to protect ourselves."

Well, they were going to die anyway. Darcy would go in the middle of the battle to get Loki away from Hel for whatever brief time period was left to them.

And if there was any way to stop it maybe he would know by now.

"Long range or close combat?" The armsmaster asked.

"Umm…" Jane faltered.

"My aim sucks." Darcy shrugged, knowing Jane's wasn't much better. They were much more effective in a lab. Well no, Darcy was more effective with words. Planned words. If she spoke without thinking , they were just a jumble. "I did some basic sword stuff with Sif."

The armsmaster looked at them for a few moments. "I will arm you with a few knives and daggers. Then go to the masters of magic. They will be busy, but given your…uh…relations to the royal family, they should be able to provide you with a more effective form of protection. First though, go to the armoury before the better armour is distributed."

They nodded, saying their thanks before he passed them wickedly sharp daggers. Darcy was certain these were their better weapons, and felt slightly guilty that someone who knew how to use them better wasn't getting them. He also threw in a sword for Darcy. She really hoped she didn't have to use it, because she wasn't particularly good at it.

Luckily the armoury was right next door, and the moment they walked in, they were snatched by servants who took their measurements quickly, and found appropriate armour.

"Here, my lady." One servant said as she passed Darcy a pile of battle clothes. It consisted mainly of a very thick dark purple top with an elaborate gold pattern. It was pulled tight in the middle by a thick belt to allow for movement, and a place to holster their weapons. Below, it was plated, as were the forearms.

In addition, she had something that resembled leggings, but were obviously a lot thicker and stronger, and would hopefully stop projectiles. It looked as though some form of metal was woven into the fabric. There were boots pretty similar to the ones she had, so she told the servant to give them to someone who needed them.

"Put on the attire." The servant said. "I must check they fit."

Darcy tried everything on, and affirmed they did fit, with a small alteration on the chest area.

"How are these standard armour?" Darcy asked as she looked down. These clothes were gorgeous for battle clothes. She was expecting breast plates or something. And what was better was that she felt protected, like these may actually stop arrows or something.

"They are not standard, my lady." The servant replied. "They are an old set of Lady Freya's. She told us to distribute them."

"Freya?" Darcy asked. "As in…?" The Goddess of Valhalla?

"No, my lady. Named after the great warrior. She has lived up to the name however. She was mentored by Lady Sif." The servant explained.

"Oh, okay." Darcy said. She wanted to ask more stuff, but figured they didn't really have time to.

She slipped her daggers into the holsters on the belt, and secret ones at her thigh and hips, feeling somewhat like the Black Widow. And she slung the sword over her back, pulling it out with ease over her shoulder, albeit slightly terrified about slicing her head off.

The servant left to go sort someone else out with armour.

"Wow." Darcy said at the sight of Jane. Her armour was pretty similar, but had more chainmail, was blue and bronze, and was more dress like though still practical.

"Don't." Jane winced. "They told me it was Frigga's when she was a teenager."

"Ah." Darcy said. "Well, you look hot. Come on, let's go get us some magical weapons."

She wondered if they had anything on killing certain goddesses of Helheim. Whether or not the universe actually ended- and it was looking a lot like it would- Darcy still wanted an opportunity to kill Hel first.

"Wow, this stuff is uncomfortable." Jane said.

"Only because you live in plaid shirts." Darcy pointed out.

"Says the girl who lives in knitwear." Jane replied. "Anyway, as I was saying before we went for extreme makeover Asgard edition, you know it's okay if you like Loki that way, right?"

"Jane, the universe is ending. I think at this point not many people would have a problem if I liked Sleipnír that way." Darcy retorted.

"Darcy." Jane whined.

"Look," Darcy turned on the physicist, suddenly annoyed. "I don't know how I feel about him, okay? I love him like how I love you and Thor and the others, but I don't know if…I mean we've been so distracted by this whole thing, that it's not like we've had time to sit and chat about how we feel any further than affirming that we care about each other, and don't want the other dead or their loved ones tortured by Hel. So drop it, okay? I'd rather not think about how things would have been if Ragnarok hadn't happened."

Jane nodded. "Sorry."

"Don't…don't apologise." Darcy sighed. "I'm sorry it's just…" She trailed off, not wanting to think about how much she wished she'd had a normal shot with Loki. One without all this drama.

Jane just nodded. "I get it." She said.

The sorcerers were confined to a small part of the palace, because there simply weren't many of them. Loki said he'd learnt from them for a bit when he was young, but their magic was used simply for war-related objects. He'd searched the realms, learning magic from anyone he could find until, like Hel had said, he'd amassed the best knowledge of all of them.

Eventually, they reached them, after climbing an excessive amount of stairs.

From them he heard shouts and arguments.

"We should be enchanting the warriors!"

"No, we should be enchanting the weapons!"

"What about creating alternatives to weapons, you fools?"

Darcy glanced at Jane before both of them walked in.

Darcy didn't know what she'd been expecting. Maybe tall pointy hats and blue robes speckled with stars?

They looked just like any other standard Asgardian.

There were seven: five girls and two guys.

Apparently magic was seen as a feminine thing on Asgard, and it was one of the reasons people had looked down on Loki.

"Hi," Jane said. "The armsmasters sent us. He said we-"

"You're the one who made everyone see the truth about Loki?" One of the women interrupted Jane, looking directly at Darcy.

"Um, yes." Darcy said, unsure if that would help them or not.

"What do you need?" Another woman asked.

"We aren't very good fighters." Darcy said. "But we have to go with them."

"I'll see what we can do." One of the guys said.

"We taught that boy, you know." The first woman said. "Even when he was lost to us we knew he would find his way back."

"Always a little troubled." The other woman said.

"It's bad enough learning magic when you are male." The other guy said. "I can only imagine how bad it would be with the pressures that come from being part of the royal family."

"And finding out his true heritage…I admit it came as a shock but…well he always thought he was second best anyway. I don't imagine that helped." Another woman chimed in.

One of the guys threw a handful of powder at them that turned into sparks as it touched their skin.

One woman closed her eyes and started chanting.

Darcy was glad Loki had moved beyond this showy magician magic.

"Your weapon…the black box…hand it here." A woman said.

Darcy turned to her in shock.

"I can sense a favoured weapon, though I don't fully understand this one." She said.

Darcy handed over her taser, and watched as the woman performed some odd magic on it. "I have increased its power. It was severely limited. It is battle ready now, it should not fail you."

Darcy got one charge from her taser usually. Did battle ready mean she could use it more, because that was awesome.

The woman turned to Jane before frowning. "My apologies, I do not see how I could enchant a weapon so big."

"A…weapon?" Jane asked. Darcy imagined her telescope or something.

"Yes," The woman said, still confused. "It is large with four wheels."

Darcy snorted at the fact Jane's favoured weapon, was apparently her car. Then again, she had managed to hit Thor with it twice. Though, it was her taser that put him in the hospital, Darcy remembered smugly.

Jane blushed. "That's uh…don't worry about that."

"The protection charms are done." A woman said.

"Good luck." A guy said.

"Right, um, thank you." Darcy said but they had turned back to hurriedly getting things ready for the war.

"They were…" Jane said as they left. "Enthusiastic?"

"Yeah." Darcy agreed. "But Loki said they're never really thanked or anything so I guess it's nice knowing they're needed."

"Everyone's needed now." Jane shook her head. "Just…God the apocalypse? Like it's just not clicking, it's too big."

Darcy nodded, knowing the feeling well.

"So…if Loki hadn't been forced to do that stuff…would Ragnarok have still happened?" Jane asked.

"I really don't know, I'm not an expert on prophecies. Maybe Loki would have chosen to, or accidentally done it himself one day, or maybe it was referring to someone else altogether. I guess at the moment it's only happening because someone chose to make it happen, so it's more instructions for how the apocalypse will play out, than what will inevitably happen." Darcy said.

"And Loki what? Revealed to you that this was happening?" Jane asked.

"No…I uh…read this book of prophecies, and things clicked. Then I overheard a conversation between him and Hel. I confronted him, and he showed me everything." Darcy said.

"Showed?" Jane asked.

"Yeah, he did magic to show me what happened, like I was in his memories or something.

"Wow I wonder how he did it like was it just projecting an image into your head or-" Jane cut off at Darcy's 'You're sciencing again' look.

"Do you think they'll be there yet?" Darcy asked to distract Jane.

"There was quite a queue for weapons. I don't think they plan on it being an organised war, anyway." Jane said.

"It's going to be a bloodbath," Darcy snapped.

"It's an apocalypse, isn't that the point?" Jane asked.

"You don't think there's a way to stop it?" Darcy asked, surprised.

"I don't know, is there?" Jane replied.

"There must be." Darcy said adamantly. "This can't all be set in stone. Hel made us come to this point and now we have to stop her."

"But it's not just her." Jane pointed out. "She's just the one benefitting from it. Even if you stop her it won't stop all those monsters and the other races of the universe."

"But there has to be some way to stop it." Darcy insisted. "Or make it end differently."

Jane nodded. "True, this destiny nonsense they are all obsessed with is ridiculous. Prophecies seem like the Asgardian equivalent of horoscopes."

Darcy couldn't put it any better herself.

They started walking to the Bifröst, half running, in their haste to get there.

"At least with the Dark Elves, we could do something, you know? Like they were manipulating the laws of physics. And we could fight that. But this? Isn't it just a list of who kills who, and what monster destroys what? How do we stop that?" Jane said.

"Hel." Darcy replied.

"Look, I know she made you do this, but don't you think you might be focusing a little too much on revenge on her, rather than how to stop this?" Jane asked.  
God, Darcy had really missed being able to talk to Jane about her problems. It was only now that Darcy realised just how heavily she normally relied on Jane's input.

"I think the only way to stop it, is to go against what the prophecy says. You know, like if we hadn't done that stuff, this wouldn't be happening now, so maybe if the Asgardians don't go to war, then they won't die, and the universe won't be destroyed." Darcy said.

"But they would never do that, not while all these other creatures and the Frost Giants are destroying the other realms. Thor definitely wouldn't be able to live with himself if he didn't at least try to stop it." Jane pointed out.

"Exactly." Darcy said. "And if they're not going to do that, then odds are we will all die. And if that happens, we all go to Helheim, so we have to stop Hel from having those souls go to her realm and adding to her power. We have to stop Hel to stop that eventuality, because let me tell you, Hel would not be pleasant."

And maybe she was a bit self interested, but she was fairly certain she wasn't the only one on Hel's hitlist. Loki, for instance. Would Hel punish him further for his bringing her into this? And Thor for fighting against her? Where would she stop?

"Can't they try for peace or something rather than war?" Jane asked.

"The Frost Giants have been after Aesir blood since they stole the Casket from them in the first place. The others are mindless monsters and Hel's army of the undead." Darcy said.

"And there's nothing?" Jane asked.

"Well, there's this plot of land that remains safe. In Earth mythology, some people go there and survive and repopulate the universe and stuff. But like you said, Thor would never just go there while everything else was destroyed." Darcy said.

"Okay, but how could the universe be destroyed anyway? Like there are things you can't destroy, like energy, it would be reborn and-"

"Jane, the prophecy was really not that specific. Point is everyone dies." Darcy said. Did Jane not get that she'd been thinking of loopholes to the prophecy from the moment she found out a prophecy was a thing that even existed?

"Jane!" Thor called uncertainly as they neared him on the bridge. "What are you…? You look stunning but surely you will have no need of the armour."

"I'm coming with you." Jane said.

Thor's smile at seeing her fell. "It's too dangerous."

"It's an apocalypse, Thor. Everywhere is going to be dangerous. If the world really is ending I'd rather die by your side trying to save it than die somewhere else without you." Jane said.

Darcy would have started gagging if her words hadn't reminded her of Loki. And that was really, really scary, because those were sappy words, and either she'd become so accustomed to Loki's company that the thought of being without it was unbearable, or…

Just…oh God, she needed to see him. To check he was okay.

Thor smiled, puppy eyes fixed on Jane. "In which case, have you weapons?"

Jane nodded. "And enchantments. Protection and stuff."

"Good." Thor said, pulling Jane into an embrace that quickly turned into them making out.

Oh God, Darcy didn't even have the heart to tell them to get a room. The world really must be ending. And she felt so lonely at that moment. The world was ending, at least they had each other.

No, she told herself firmly. She wouldn't think like that. She would take it as a she had to stop the world ending, so she could see her loved ones again.

She really hoped her mom would be okay for a while. Until she had a chance to fix it. But she'd released a sea monster that caused tsunamis, and her mom lived in California. She blinked back tears, telling herself it was another reason for her to stop Hel.

She needed the afterlife in better hands, because if they couldn't stop Ragnarok they were going to need it.

"Darcy." Thor said.

Darcy turned to him. Apparently, they had stopped making out.

"Are you coming too?" He asked.

Darcy nodded. "But I'm finding Loki the moment we get there. I have to make sure Hel hasn't hurt him."

Thor nodded, and she saw something she couldn't quite identify in his eyes.

"Thank you. For caring for him when I…"

"I would have done the same thing in your position." Darcy said. The last thing they needed was an emotional Thor.

Thor nodded. "I hope to see him, in order to apologise to him. If I do not…then tell him I am sorry, and that I am…proud of my brother."

Darcy smiled. "Of course."

"The first wave is ready." Heimdall announced.

"This is us." Thor said. "We hope to secure the battlefield."

He'd barely finished speaking before they were sucked into the Bifröst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Ignorance by Paramore. This chapter was necessary because Darcy and Jane were the original science bros.
> 
> Please Comment


	30. The Sacred Hours

Darcy had travelled on the Bifröst before, but having grown accustomed to Loki's form of apparition of late, she found it was a lot more comfortable than she'd thought last time. In comparison to teleporting, it was like flying down a wind tunnel.

She decided she was going to make Loki travel with her by the Bifröst next time, before realising that they'd probably be too dead for that anyway.

As her feet hit the floor, she pulled her taser out, not knowing what they would find. Luckily, it seemed they were the first ones there.

Darcy hadn't really thought about what Vigrid would be like, but she'd definitely expected more wasteland. Maybe just a different version of Svartalfheim? Instead it looked more like paradise with sweeping green meadows, complete with bright flowers, and the heat of some star in its orange sky.

Somehow that made it all worse. It didn't feel like the end of the universe, but of course it was.

"GIANTS!" Someone screamed. Darcy turned and saw people running towards them at the very edge of her vision.

At this distance, they looked the same size as Jane standing next to her so she could only imagine how big they actually were.

Thor tensed. "Wait!" He called. "Heimdall now!"

There was nothing, and still the giants were running towards them.

"What do we do?" Jane asked.

"There are not enough of us here yet." Thor said. "Heimdall!" He shouted again.

Had something happened to the Bifröst? Or to Heimdall? He and Loki were supposed to kill each other. It was very odd that she was terrified by the thought of Heimdall dying another way- if they went against the prophecy and still died, then there was no hope.

The giants were nearly upon them.

"HEIMDALL!" Thor roared.

All at once, they were surrounded by a multi-coloured haze of light, and more warriors appeared around them. Odin appeared next to Thor, donning battle gear and looking terrifying. He nodded to Thor.

"Charge!" Thor yelled.

Darcy and Jane had to run too to avoid being trampled. The sound of the many Asgardian warriors running around them, their feet slapping the floor and armour clanking together was deafening but none of it could compare to the sound of Darcy's heart beating.

She wasn't supposed to be in the middle of a battle. She was supposed to be looking for Loki.

Unbidden, the thought of her father entered her mind. He had died in war, yes, but it was a bomb not the battlefield. But it wasn't his death that haunted her now rather than his words.

 _"Promise me you'll never join the army, Darce. I've seen far too many young lives destroyed and their deaths mean nothing in the end. You're worth more than whatever problem the government is having."_  He'd said.

Actually, pulling out of the wars was one of the reasons Darcy had wanted to go into politics.

And now she was in the middle of a battlefield.

Still, her dad probably wouldn't mind too much. This was the end of the world, not some government dispute.

She clutched at her taser as she saw her first actual giant.

Admittedly, she thought they'd be bigger, the largest was about sixteen feet. But their skin was blue, and patterned with the ridges and marks that Darcy had seen on Loki. On him they were beautiful, on these monsters they were terrifying.

The giant running towards her wore shredded armour around him, cutting across his ridges, but exposing a large amount of skin. His eyes glowed red, and Darcy realised how scary those red eyes were when they weren't looking at her from Loki's face. He swung a huge spiked club, and Darcy felt so insignificant with just a taser.

Terrified, she pointed her taser at him instinctively, knowing that she needed to be closer and that the voltage would never be enough anyway.

To her surprise, electricity sparked from her taser. She yelped in shock, and the giant fell heavily to the floor, almost crushing an Asgardian fighting behind him.

Thunder crackled overhead and Darcy saw lightning hit ahead of her where presumably Thor was fighting.

She didn't have time to be shocked for long, as another Frost Giant quickly took the place of the one she'd stunned. She pressed her taser again, pulling her dagger out in her other hand, because she felt better with two weapons.

This one fell, lunging a lazy swipe at Darcy that she only just managed to miss. It hadn't been completely knocked out but was on its knees, bringing its head level with her shoulder.

She didn't even think as she slashed her dagger across its neck, feeling cartilage and muscle tear in her hand. Blood sprayed across her fingers, and the giant collapsed. Darcy turned, hand shaking and feeling like she was going to be sick.

How on Earth did Loki have that as his favoured weapon? It was…horrible. Her taser was at a distance, and sword fighting was at least not as intimate as that.

She swallowed. This was war.

No, it was more than that.

This was the end of the universe.

Her grip tightened on the dagger. It was kill or be killed, and if she was killed…well, she didn't like to stress her own importance but she did have an idea of how to stop this. Not that her ideas were the best or anything- they all knew how her last one had worked out- it was just that she'd had a while to think about it and had done the research.

Dagger in one hand and taser in the other, she worked her way through the fight in search of Jane. Her favoured method was running and avoiding them, but when she had to, she stunned giants, and if they didn't fall unconscious, her dagger was quickly used.

She didn't know how long she was searching when she saw a flash of brown hair. She ran, dodging bodies and praying it wasn't just one of the few non-blonde Asgardians.

She stunned a giant that crossed her path, and Darcy saw a few dwarves run past, joining the fight. On whose side they were on she did not know, but she prayed they were on theirs. Dwarves only disliked elves right? Until a magic ring appeared and-

She ran, shaking such stupid thoughts from her mind whilst cursing herself for being so flippant and exasperating. She was trying to find her friend in a battlefield, and was too busy being distracted by dwarves.

"Darcy!" Jane yelled as she saw her. She had a bloody dagger in her hand too and looked pale, her hair sticking to her face but still managing to look like a movie star anyway.

"Oh thank God." Darcy said as she saw her friend. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Jane said, hugging Darcy quickly before going immediately into a defensive pose as she looked round. "I was looking for you."

"But you're okay?" Darcy asked. She'd struggled to stab a giant, so she could only imagine how Jane was without a taser. Sure, she might stab someone over science but this was really not a Jane kind of place.

She nodded. "Fandral and Volstagg have been looking after me."

Darcy looked up and saw the two in an intense fight with a giant each. Darcy wondered how she could have missed them, until realising that in battle most Asgardians looked the same and it was definitely easier to find the five foot girl.

Another giant was about to drive their wicked looking blade at Volstagg from behind. Darcy pointed her taser, but the giant fell before she could. Volstagg killed his giant and turned to see who had saved him.

"Hogun!" He shouted jovially.

Darcy was about to say that only Volstagg could still be happy at the end of the world, before realising battle was a Norse heaven and they were probably quite enjoying it.

Fandral turned, having slain his own giant.

"Do tell me you've brought the rest of Vanaheim." Fandral said.

Hogun nodded. "They are here. We too received a rooster."

Rooster? That was like a harpy if anything but maybe the Aesir called it something different.

"Right well as much as I would love to catch up," Fandral grinned. "Shall we?"

Hogun and Volstagg half grunted and half cheered in that way only Asgardians could. Together, they turned back to the battle.

"We should follow them." Jane said.

Darcy agreed. While she may have resented having to rely on three men for protection, there was that slight issue that they'd had a millennia of training and participation in war compared to their ten minutes.

As they ran, someone stabbed at Darcy with a sword. She grunted at the impact but the armour stopped any further damage.

She turned, not knowing what species had attacked her, though it looked like a male elf. Her taser stunned him in seconds.

"Do we have more enemies now?" Jane asked.

"Apparently, but we also have more allies." Darcy said, looking for the positive.

"But that guy looked like an elf. It's turning into a riot, everyone's just attacking everyone else." Jane said.

Darcy nodded. "The battle to end all battles."

They ran to catch up with the others and found Fandral fighting a Frost Giant. His fighting style kind of looked like a mix of dancing and jousting and it was so  _him,_ that she wanted to laugh. Did all Asgardians have fighting styles that matched their personalities?

Wait, no, Thor hit things with Mjolnir. If it matched his personality, he should fight people with pop tarts and coffee. Well at least the Thor she knew in New Mexico.

From the noise of screaming and fighting came shouts from those surrounding them.

And one word was discernible.

_Hel.  
_

Darcy looked up as a shadow fell across them.

Darcy knew Hel was coming on Naglfar, but she'd been under the impression it would be like a regular Viking boat. Darcy had forgotten that these were Space Vikings, and the boat had wings made from bone or finger nails or something.

And at the front, though she could not see him entirely, she saw the silhouette of that horned helmet of his.

She realised she had never really teased him enough about the helmet, and promised to rectify this at once.

And then it was like everyone simultaneously remembered they were in a battle. Darcy gripped her dagger, and returned to the fray.

* * *

 

Loki stared down at the battle raging beneath them, unable to help being impressed. It was indeed the final war.

He had been in many, many battles but this looked like every citizen in every realm was present and fighting. Or lying dead.

"It's quite amazing really." Hel said. "Ragnarök was prophesied, of course, but it was never really just an event. It has a power of its own. As the inhabitants of the realms tear each other apart in fear the universe around them shreds itself."

"Amazing." Loki said sarcastically. He wondered if he would be able to push Hel off the boat. She wouldn't die of course, but he'd certainly enjoy it.

"Well, it made Yggdrasil open itself to all realms, while anything but Vigrid destabilises. Why do you think they all had the sudden impulse to come here? Only Midgardians, I think, are not here. Though I imagine they have problems enough as it is." Hel said.

"Yes, yes your apocalypse is going very well, you must be incredibly proud." Loki said as his eyes scanned the warriors in search of someone he recognised.

"You should take some pride in your own work, Loki. None of this was possible without you. Look at your creation." Hel said.

For once, he did not agree that the destruction was because of him. He may have been the only one who could have done it, but Darcy was right, he had chosen not to. It was Hel that had caused this.

"This is the last thing that you require me for?" Loki asked.

"You're such a killjoy, Loki." Hel sighed. Well, he'd been called a lot of things in recent years, but that definitely wasn't one of them. "But yes. You're free to go do whatever, or shall I say whomever, before you inevitably die."

Yes, Loki had not forgotten the fact he was doomed to die today. He scanned the fighters again, knowing it was impossible to find anyone, and especially her from this distance but unable to stop looking anyway.

"You really think she will be there?" Hel asked snidely.

"Yes." Loki said, knowing full well nothing would stop Darcy from coming here. The woman had gone to Hel, for Valhalla's sake. He was fairly certain she knew no fear. Then again, it was probably a positive thing that Hel did not know Darcy well enough to ascertain that.

"You'd better hope she isn't." Hel said. "A mortal out here would not last more than a second."

"And yet as the Goddess of Death who delights in nothing more than causing misery in others, I have no doubt if Miss Lewis were dead you would have taunted me the moment it occurred." Loki said, refusing to rise to Hel's attempt to provoke him.

"A lot of people are dying. I cannot keep track of them all." Hel said.

"Not them all perhaps, but her." Loki said.

"What is it you see in a mortal anyway?" Hel asked.

"You act as though we are madly in love." Loki said.

"Well, aren't you?" Hel asked.

"You have lived alone far too long, if you believe this is love." Loki said dismissively.

"Oh no," Hel said sarcastically. "Whatever was I thinking: a man who killed thousands of mortals without batting an eyelid, would go to Helheim for one."

Loki ignored her. The boat was landing now, and he was too focused on finding her. And Thor too, if he could. He did not care for his father, but…if he were to die, it might be nice to see his brother, he supposed.

Well if he were to die today, he should probably stop lying to himself too. He'd died in Thor's arms last time yearning for his forgiveness. He could not deny that he did not love the oaf.

So yes, he would find him but he had to find Darcy first. Thor at least was a trained fighter.

The thought of Darcy in such a violent war armed with a pocket knife had his stomach in knots.

The moment the boat touched the ground Loki was moving for the exit, pushing past Hel's assembled dead, with his dagger slipping easily into his hand.

"Yes, go!" Hel shouted after him. "Save your little mortal! She's probably cowering in tears without you."

No, Hel really did not know Darcy.

He changed into the guard form he had favoured recently. He knew many people would realise he had caused this- whether voluntarily or not. And even if not, there were many who would happily attempt to kill him for both his acts on Asgard and on Midgard. Not to mention the Jötuns who still detested him for his attempt to unleash the power of the Bifröst on their planet.

It was so nice being popular.

No, it was safer for him to travel in disguise, though he sent a double of himself through the fighters as a test. It did not take much magic to shapeshift, but it was still magic he could better spend in battle.

He would give himself away to anyone looking for him, or who knew him well when he fought, however. There were not many Asgardians who favoured daggers, and even less who fought in the Vanaheim style, the way his mother had first taught him. Added to that the fact he would be teeming it with magic, and he may as well walk around with his signature helmet and a large sign saying he was there.

The double was not particularly attacked during the first few minutes, by some yes, but they did not seem to pick him especially.

Deciding it was worth the risk, he let his disguise drop.

An elf ran to attack him, but it was either an untrained or poorly skilled one, and Loki was able to swiftly dodge its sword and plunge his dagger into its side. He had been under the impression the elves were on the side of the Asgardians, but as he watched he realised there were no sides, everyone was simply fighting everyone.

His fear for Darcy's safety grew, and he sent more doubles out, trying to locate her.

Lightening slammed into the ground, not far from him.

 _Thor_.

He hoped that where his brother was Darcy might be.

He hurried quickly through the people fighting around him, killing with ease those who attempted to engage him in battle.

It was not difficult to find Thor, as he had attracted a large circle of enemies.

He was fighting them off with little effort, but Loki fell back into the instincts that hundreds of years of battling beside Thor had developed.

He created doubles by those who were about to attack Thor, distracting them for the split second that allowed Thor to kill them with Mjolnir.

Meanwhile, he battled the three closest.

The last fell limp, and Loki pulled his bloodied dagger out with disgust. It was his first time killing a Frost Giant since Laufey.

Although he was one of the few people Loki now did not regret killing.

Thor slayed his last opponent, and looked up laughing.

And Loki wasn't quite sure how it happened but Thor's arms were around him, patting him so heavily on the back he almost coughed. Loki didn't hug him back, but he didn't push him away or stab him either.

"I am sorry, brother." Thor said, pulling away but keeping his hands on Loki's shoulders. "Darcy informed us of what had happened. I never should have said what I did."

"I…I would have said the same in your position." Loki admitted. "The only difference would have been that I would have said it long ago."

He did not know what Thor would have said because at that moment they were reminded they were in the middle of a war.

Loki saw the Jötun behind Thor at the same time Thor saw the Elf behind Loki.

Almost instinctively, they moved so that their backs were to each other. Loki ducked the blow of the Jötun that had been about to decapitate Thor, and plunged his dagger instead under its ribcage.

As soon as he had, several more took its place.

He assumed something similar had happened to Thor as he heard his brother say: "Would you care to form an orderly line?"

Loki was caught between rolling his eyes and laughing.

He created a small smoke screen to blind his enemies, giving him time to attack.

"After all this time, and you still rely on hitting things with your hammer?" Loki asked, pulling his dagger from a Frost Giant.

"It worked on you, did it not?" Thor asked.

While still embarrassed by the memory of being pinned under Mjolnir on the Bifröst, he could not help but smile, not wanting to admit that he had missed teasing each other without any real venom behind it.

Thor vanquished his foes first, and helped Loki finish his considerably larger group.

"Is Darcy near?" Loki asked when he finished.

"She is with Jane." Thor said. "Volstagg and Fandral are caring for them."

Loki nodded and turned to go find her.

"Brother!" Thor called.

Loki frowned, the longer he waited the more danger she could be in.

"You and Darcy…" He started.

Loki rolled his eyes. There was a war happening. The apocalypse, in fact. And Thor wanted to discuss feelings now?

"Well, what is it you feel for her?" Thor asked.

"Right now, the desire to ensure she is not murdered." Loki said.

Thor seemed to realise how poor the timing was, and nodded. Loki left, now searching for three others as well.

He heard Volstagg before he saw them, yelling with glee as he presumably fought.

Loki had never run so quickly.

When he saw her, she was fighting a dwarf with a strange black box.

As she pressed it lightning came shooting out, sparking on the dwarf's gold armour. It fell, and the smell of smoke filled the air.

She turned for the next and saw Loki watching her with a smirk.

"Where the hell have you been?" Darcy demanded.

He'd been expecting a happier greeting, but really he should have remembered who he was dealing with.

"To hell." Loki quipped.

Apparently, she was unamused.

"The boat arrived half an hour ago!" She hissed, stepping forwards angrily.

"The majority of the citizens of this universe are here fighting. You do not exactly come with a giant light telling me where you are." Loki pointed out, but he was too happy to see that she was safe- for now- to say anything else.

"I thought something had happened to you, you prick." She said, grabbing at his armour and pulling him down to her before pressing her lips to his.

His arms moved round her protectively, and their lips parted.

"I am fine." He assured her, he'd been so worried about her being safe he had never stopped to imagine that she may be feeling the same about him. His hand lifted to her chin. "I will allow no harm to come to you." He smirked, eyes raking her body. "I would also like to thank whoever provided your armour." There was a part of him that very much wanted to drag her to his room so she could act the Asgardian warrior she was dressed to be.

"By the Nine Realms, Loki!" Fandral called. "Apparently your time in the dungeons did improve something." He grinned. "You never were-"

Fandrals smile abruptly fell as the Elf's sword was driven through his stomach.

Loki's dagger flew, driving itself into the neck of the elf.

Fandral gasped in pain, hands trying to stop the bleeding but the sword had been driven in from behind and cut all the way through. He fell like a marionette with cut strings.

"Loki!" Darcy shouted, having run immediately to Fandral.

"No I'm Fandral, the good looking one." Fandral gasped, hands fluttering over the hole in his gut.

Loki knelt down to examine the wound.

He closed his eyes, muttering an incantation to stem the bleeding. He had never been particularly good at healing magic, that was always his mother's and Eir's expertise but he could manage well enough.

His eyes flickered open. Fandral looked like he might faint. It wasn't his first time being stabbed, but it was the only time the wound had gone all the way through.

"We must get him to the Bifröst." Loki said. "He needs to be sent back to Asgard."

Hopefully, Eir would be able to cure him.

"What happened?" A female voice asked. Loki looked up to see Jane.

Volstagg and Hogun soon appeared behind her.

Hogun's eyes narrowed at him in suspicion.

"Fandral was stabbed." Darcy said. "By an elf."

Fandral shook his head. "That's just shameful." He said but his words slurred.

Loki slid his arm round Fandral's waist and helped lift him to his feet. "We must take him to Eir." He said again, the longer they waited the worse it would get.

"And you will take him?" Hogun asked disbelievingly.

Loki rolled his eyes. He'd just stemmed the bleeding, and Hogun thought he was off to kill Fandral in private? Then again, Hogun never had been the brightest of the Vanir.

Volstagg placed a hand on Hogun's arm telling him to wait.

"I trust Loki." Fandral slurred again.

Loki was tempted to roll his eyes again. He might not actually be planning on betraying them, but at the same time they were idiots to trust him.

"Great, now we've got this done can we get Fandral to a hospital before he dies because Jesus, dude, you're heavy." Darcy said, struggling on Fandral's other side.

Hogun nodded once and Loki turned, leading Fandral out of the fight.

However they'd barely taken ten steps before Hogun and Volstagg were running in front of them, weapons swinging as they cleared a path for them.

Jane walked by Darcy's side.

It took longer than he would have liked but at last they reached the point where the bifrost had landed, runes scorched into the floor.

"Heimdall!" Volstagg called.

* * *

 

The rainbow bridge appeared, and they started walking forwards.

Until it shattered, shards of the bridge raining down on them. Darcy was thankful for her armour.

"Valhalla," Volstagg cursed. "What happened?"

Darcy looked up and her jaw almost dropped. A giant. An actual giant not these large Frost Giants. This one was the size of a skyscraper and held a flaming sword that he'd just used to smash the Bifröst.

As she watched, a team of Asgardians ran to stop it.

"So I guess we can't get Fandral to Eir?" Darcy asked.

Loki cursed.

Darcy's stomach knotted. They'd be able to help Fandral, right?

"Lower him." Loki said and she gently aided him down to the ground.

"Can you do anything?" Hogun asked Loki.

Loki looked helplessly at Fandral. "I can try but…there is a good chance it will not work."

"What about that blood magic stuff?" Darcy asked. "You can use mine again."

"I am not draining you of any more." Loki snapped. "And besides, it is a primitive form of magic, strong, but draining. There a far more effective forms."

"Well I suggest you use one." Hogun said.

Loki narrowed his eyes at him. "And you trust me to do this now?"

"I don't see that I have a choice." Hogun said, not looking away from Loki's eyes.

"Hogun enough." Volstagg said. "Loki is on our side now. Let him heal Fandral."

"Loki." Darcy said, beckoning for him to come closer. "Is this going to drain you too much?" She whispered.

Loki shrugged.

"Hey, I'm serious. This is Ragnarök, and you need your strength." She said.

"My strength is useless if I cannot attempt to…" Loki trailed off, waving at Fandral.

Darcy understood, he'd technically caused this and couldn't stand the thought of Fandral paying for it. But still. Darcy didn't want Loki in any more danger than he already was.

"Fine, but if you collapse again…"

"Darcy do you really imagine the magic it took to unleash a monster as old as creation itself will be on a level with healing Fandral?" He asked.

Darcy had to admit he had a point, but she wasn't happy about it.

He turned from her and started moving his hands in front of Fandral, a look of concentration on his face. Okay, a really hot look of concentration on his face.

A few moments passed and Loki stilled his hands.

"I have managed to stabilise it for now. You will still require healers just not immediately." Loki said.

"Does it particularly matter?" Fandral asked. "Everyone dies today anyway, eventually."

"Not if I can help it." Darcy said, but no one else spoke.

Loki walked towards her. "Come." He said.

She frowned. "Where?"

"Away from here." Loki said. "Somewhere safe."

"Nowhere's safe." She pointed out. "It's the apocalypse."

"Safer than a battlefield." Loki said. "Hel will torture you if you die, I cannot allow that to happen." He said.

"I don't think it's your responsibility." Darcy said, folding her arms. "I'm not going to run away when my friends are fighting to keep the universe together for a few moments longer."

"And how exactly is fighting other beings going to keep the universe together?" Loki asked, annoyed.

"The Frost Giants and Hel's undead would destroy the universe if we didn't try to stop them." Darcy said.

"They will destroy the universe anyway. This battle will fail. Half the armies have already turned in panic." Loki pointed out.

"You." A voice said angrily behind them.

Darcy turned and saw Heimdall with hatred burning in his gold eyes as he looked at Loki.

"You have caused this." Heimddall said, pulling his sword out.

"Yes." Loki agreed, pulling his dagger out. "How are you here? The Bifröst was destroyed."

"The structure of the universe is collapsing. Portals are opening to here throughout the nine realms." Heimdall said, levelling his sword at Loki. "Because of you."

"Heimdall," Volstagg said. "Loki was forced to-"

"He was not forced. He had a choice. And he chose selfishly." Heimdall said, glaring at Loki.

"I chose my mother." Loki spat. "Do not for one instant tell me that was the wrong choice to make."

"Over the universe?" Heimdall asked.

"Every time." Loki hissed.

Heimdall lunged.

Darcy jumped in the middle without thinking. "Stop!" She shouted.

Heimdall only just managed to pull his sword away, but Loki had yanked her out of harm.

Angry did not even begin to cover the expression on his face as he glared down at her, hands firmly grasping her arms.

"What in the Nine Realms do you think you are doing?" He roared.

"Y-y-you can't fight him." Darcy stuttered, heart beating rapidly. Of course what she'd done had been stupid but…Loki would die and…that couldn't happen.

"And you thought the best course of action was to jump in the way of his sword, are you insane?" He demanded.

Darcy shrugged. "Probably." She glanced over at Heimdall who was being held back by Volstagg. "You do realise the prophecy says that you kill each other? So you thought the best way to stop that coming true was to fight each other anyway? Did you think about maybe just not?"

"If it is truly destiny, it cannot be stopped." Heimdall said. "At least I will have rid the universe of him."

"Fuck destiny. You realise by killing him you take the prophecy one step closer to completion?" Darcy demanded. "Now you might be upset about your little bridge breaking, but go take it out on someone else."

"Heimdall?" Thor asked, appearing beside them.

Heimdall nodded. "Sire."

"How are you here? I saw the bridge break." Thor said.

"The realms are aligning as in the recent attack of the Dark Elves. It enabled me to come through." Heimdall said.

"Umm…like that one?" Darcy asked, unable to believe the coincidence of one appearing just a few feet away. It was a large circle with rough edges but instead of the battlefield, it showed the serpent they'd released. Which meant…

"Midgard." Thor said.

The serpent was in the ocean but breathing its poison, the atmosphere filling with it as waves formed around it. She saw a red blob flying near it, and thought it might be Stark.

"I must help them." Thor said walking forwards.

"Um no." Darcy said. "And we come back to the whole prophecy thing. You're supposed to kill each other."

"But my death would be worth that creature being stopped." Thor said.

Jane ran forwards. "It can be stopped. But if that thing is supposed to kill you, you are not going. Darcy is right, the way this prophecy has worked it's more like steps than telling the future. You complete the next step then it's one step closer to the end of the world. It's prophesied to start, not to be successful but each step taken makes it more likely to be."

"And besides," Loki added dryly. "It is a sea monster. Do you plan on swimming?"

"I can fly." Thor said.

"You throw your hammer and hang on, I don't think that counts." Loki commented.

"I cannot leave the Midgardians defenceless." He said.

"We aren't defenceless." Darcy said. "They're probably two seconds away from nuclear bombing it. If you can kill it with your hammer, the bomb will do the trick."

"Not to mention the avengers." Jane said. "Please don't go."

"We shall go instead." Volstagg said. "That way, you are sending aid to Midgard without fulfilling the prophecy."

"I may have to pass." Fandral said. He was standing now, but he was pale and clearly in a lot of pain.

"I will go." Hogun nodded to Volstagg.

They turned to Thor who really did not look happy. "Very well." He finally agreed.

Hogun and Volstagg ran towards the rupture in the air, it closing behind them.

Darcy breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Heimdall would not fight Loki with Thor here. She didn't know if refusing to fulfill parts of the prophecy would work to stop Ragnarök altogether, but she knew it was more likely to than completing them.

Which left Hel.

And Darcy just hoped her idea worked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Who Needs Love by Razorlight. Because everyone seems to be asking relationship questions at very inappropriate times and sassy Hel gives me life. 
> 
> Please comment.


	31. Lock Death Away

The others returned to the fight, Jane going with Thor and Heimdall volunteering to ensure Fandral was okay.

"Loki, we have to make sure Hel goes down." Darcy said.

"We cannot kill her." Loki pointed out. "She has hidden the source of her power in a 'safe place'." He mocked her croaky voice. "Apparently."

"And Helheim isn't safe?" Darcy asked.

"It is dependent on her Helm. Were it not in this place, it would be destroyed, the same as the other realms." Loki said.

"Right. Good. Okay umm…I think I might know where the Helm is." Darcy said.

"How?" Loki asked.

"Well, it's a long shot. I mean, the prophecy ends with the universe being destroyed, right?" Darcy asked. She saw one of the undead coming towards them and pulled her sword out, knowing she couldn't kill it, but hoping decapitation might slow it down.

She swung her sword through its middle, and the two parts fell to the ground.

Darcy put her sword back, feeling like a character from The Walking Dead.

Loki's eyebrows lifted, impressed. "Yes, that is right."

"Well, that's not where the Midgardian tales end." Darcy said.

"How could they continue after the destruction of the universe?" He asked.

"Well, they talk about the safe place. Apparently, some people go there and managed to repopulate the universe and everyone gets reborn and stuff." Darcy said. "I don't know if it's true but clearly a safe place  _does_ exist. It might be the same- it's called Idavoll."

Loki frowned, and Darcy's heart sank.

"You haven't heard of it?" Darcy asked.

"Only in myth. Supposedly, it is a place beyond Helheim itself." Loki said. "But it is a tale."

Darcy felt on the verge of tears. She had been so hopeful about this. Well okay she wasn't that hopeful but any hope at this point was something.

"But…I mean, to us, you're all myths. Couldn't this be like that?" She asked desperately.

She could tell Loki did not believe it but he was also clearly trying to comfort and humour her. "I do not know. Perhaps. After all, Thanos was a myth too, and yet I can very much vouch for his existence. I saw one of his daughters in the battle, I can only assume he is here too." Loki looked round, and it was obvious no matter how much he tried to hide it that he was scared about running into him. "This Idavoll may be real too, though I do not know how we could find it."

"Maybe from Helheim?" Darcy suggested.

Loki sighed. "In honesty, I doubt it, though I am willing to search if it at least gets you away from this battlefield."

He held his hand out for her.

"I thought you couldn't teleport between realms?" She asked.

"The branches of Yggdrassil are crumbling, hence the alignments of the realms. I believe I ought to be able to." Loki said.

He didn't sound very certain, but Darcy didn't want to stay on the battlefield any more than Loki wanted her there. And she trusted him, maybe not to get them where they wanted to be but at least to not kill them on the way.

She took his hand.

She was sucked into the darkness as she usually was but it felt less oppressive this time. The darkness more fluid than restrictive and hostile. Even the air squeezed from her lungs felt thinner. She wondered if it was because of the Yggdrassil thing.

She landed in the dank caves of Helheim. She was very certain her scream tore from her throat.

It wasn't empty like before. It was crowded.

Crowded full of people being tortured. Their screams ripped through her skull, the sounds of anguish too much for her to handle.

She stumbled backwards, hands going over her ears, and eyes slamming shut. Her heart beat rapidly and her breathing began to come in short gasps.

And then Loki's hand was on her wrist, and she was being plunged into the darkness again and rather than it being uncomfortable like it usually was it was sweet relief.

When she felt ground beneath her, she almost longed for the comfort of the darkness.

"Darcy." Loki said gently, his voice muffled by her hands still over her ears.

She didn't want to lower them, but knew it had stopped. She knew she was some place else. But the memory was fresh in her mind.

Slowly, she let her arms fall to her side.

She choked back a sob. "What was that?" She asked, eyes desperately seeking Loki's.

"Helheim." He said, still in that annoyingly gentle voice. It wasn't like him. He should be mocking her reaction or something. Unless she was more shaken up than she thought.

"That wasn't Helheim. I mean…last time it wasn't like that." She said.

Although….Loki's reaction last time. He'd been practically terrified and given where he'd been and what he'd gone through that said a lot.

"Part of you belongs in Helheim now." He said. "It means you see it for what it truly is."

"And Hel made it that way? On purpose?" Darcy asked.

"You may have noticed, that Hel is not the nicest of people." Loki smirked. She attempted a weak smile, but it felt forced.

"If we die that's where we'll go?" She asked quietly.

Loki looked away. "Yes." He managed after a short pause.

"Is that where our parents are?" She asked.

"There is a separate section of Hel for ordinary people. Still, I do not think there are many people deserving of  _that_  for an eternity." Loki answered.

In which case they either had to destroy the Helm so they'd just go nowhere when they died or stop Ragnarök. Hopefully the latter was in progress.

"Well," Darcy said. "I guess we'll just have to try not to die then."

He smiled. "What is it you said to me? If you die, I will kill you? I believe I would like to return the sentiment."

Darcy laughed, wanting to pull him closer and kiss him until her lips swelled. Maybe it was just the fact the world was ending, but there was a part of her that wanted to give up and wait for the end, curled in his arms.

But Darcy was responsible for this, partly, and she wouldn't allow others to die because of it. And she knew people already had, but she wouldn't let them go to some horrible afterlife.

"Where are we?" Darcy asked. It looked like a forest with tall, leafy trees shading them from whatever sun there may or may not have been. Darcy had no idea what realm it was, but was certain it wasn't Earth: the smell of the trees was too pure and strong, like an air freshener rather than the real thing.

"I hope Idavoll." Loki said. "With the connection between the realms weakened I was able to perform magic in Helheim and searched for a trace of Hel's. I believe she visited here recently. And it is not of a known realm, though that means nothing. There are many unknown realms, though the Aesir refuse to accept that."

"Hel was here?" Darcy asked.

Loki nodded. "I apologise, the spell forced us to linger there when I should have taken us away the moment you started to-"

"Don't apologise." Darcy said. "We needed to know. And why are you being so…protective?" It wasn't quite the right word but she didn't think 'sappy' would go down well with Loki.

He frowned. "I am not."

"Yes, you are." Darcy said.

"I assure you that if I am, it is not intentional." Loki said dismissively.

Darcy crossed her arms. "The world is ending can you stop lying, please?"

"And why do you care so much?" Loki asked.

"Loki, I just said the world was ending, and I asked you to come with me. I think the fact I'm choosing to spend whatever hours I have left alive with you answers that question." Darcy said.

Loki glanced away. "Well…we have established I care for you, I believe. Evidently, it is more so than any other life form in the universe."

"You have such a way with words that makes me feel so loved." She joked.

"That," Loki continued as though she hadn't spoken. "And the fact that Hel has directly told you she plans to torture you when you die. Forgive me for being protective and not wanting to let that woman anywhere near you."

Darcy bit her lip before hugging him. He tensed at first like he always did, before relaxing against her. It always amused her, given how close they had been physically that he still tensed at affection.

"Thank you." She said, not knowing what else to say to such a thing. She took a deep breath, trying to hold onto the feeling of his arms and knowing that it might be the last time she ever felt them.

And there were so many things she wanted to say but she didn't know how much of it was what she really felt and how much was because she knew this might be her last opportunity to say them.

So instead, she clinged on just a little longer than she ought to, pushing off their task for the fraction of time it took to feel safe even if it was just momentarily.

"Okay." She breathed. "Let's go find this Helm."

Loki looked round the forest. It seemed thick, no light filtering from any side.

"Uh, any idea where to start?" Darcy asked.

Loki shook his head. "Ordinarily, I could attempt to search for a trace of magic but it is called the Helm of Darkness for a reason, I would not be able to find it."

Darcy shook her head, refusing to believe that they would be able to find the right realm: if it was safe from Ragnarök as well as unknown to the Asgardians, and then it would probably win at a game of hide and seek.

"Okay well…" Darcy said, there had to be some way. "There must be a way to find it, right? I mean Hel would have to know where it was so she could come retrieve it, yeah?"

"I believe Hel would be able to sense it." Loki said, shaking his head.

"Okay…" Darcy said, refusing to be let down by this. "Well, she wouldn't leave it unprotected. Not something that important. She'd put up curses and things around it. Can you sense them?"

"No." Loki said. Irritation scraped against her skin. "I can't. And in honesty I do not think there are any. Hel is far too arrogant to believe we or anyone would know about Idavoll and seek her Helm."

"Okay fine, I guess we can just stay here and let everyone we know die." Darcy said, starting to pace in annoyance.

When Loki said nothing, she turned and saw he was looking at her pointedly.

"No." She said firmly. "No we aren't doing that."

"We would not die. Nor be left at Hel's hand." Loki pointed out.

"Until Hel notices, assumes here is the only place we can be, and kills us herself. Or tortures our loved ones in our place. Or-"

"Fine." Loki snapped. "Then what do you suggest we do instead?"

"Look I get that this is kind of the opposite of an ideal situation but-" Darcy started, trying to calm his frustration. A rational, calm Loki was a lot more helpful.

"Less than ideal?" He demanded. "Having to choose between you and my mother is less than  _ideal_?"

Darcy's eyes widened at being compared to his mother. She knew how much he loved Frigga but…no she wouldn't let her thoughts wander down that route. They were just words and he was the Liesmith. They didn't particularly matter anyway.

"Come on, we have to do this and you know it." Darcy said. Besides, if he meant it that way, he'd say it anyway.

"I do not have to do anything." Loki said.

"Oh I'm sorry, do you want everyone in the universe to die and for us to be tortured?" Darcy snapped.

"We are still no closer to finding the Helm than we were before, we still do not even know if it is here." Loki said.

"That's because you're not helping." Darcy said.

"What would you have me do? I cannot find it through magic, it is warded." Loki said.

"Let's put it this way, the sooner we find the Helm, the sooner I can bang you into the next universe." Darcy tried, knowing that usually worked.

"I appreciate the fact you believe preventing the destruction of the universe and an eternity of torture is not incentive enough." He said dryly. "I simply cannot think where it will be."

Darcy tried to focus. Hel…she wanted this to happen so she'd have more power and from the way she'd acted with Loki and her being together Darcy was fairly certain there were some issues with being adored.

"Hel wouldn't just leave her Helm anywhere." She decided. "It's like you said, she's too arrogant."

"We think she has left it in this realm that is unknown to all, is that not impressive enough?" Loki asked.

"You think Hel would hide the source of her power in what? A bush?" Darcy said.

"No." Loki agreed somewhat reluctantly. "However, whichever monument or source of historical importance is unknown to me. I doubt we would find it by chance."

"Well can you sense any magic?" Darcy asked. They couldn't get this far and then be stopped just by not being able to find it.

Loki frowned. "Obviously."

Darcy rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean." She snapped. "Like concentrate magic. Or powerful magic or something."

Loki glared at her before closing his eyes, a look of concentration on his face. His eyes blinked open a second later.

"That way." He said. "The density of the magic increases."

Darcy smiled. "Well, that gives us something to start with." She said. She hadn't realised just how tightly coiled her fear of not being able to do anything to stop Hel had been, until it loosened ever so slightly.

"Yes well, I cannot promise it will be anything significant." Loki said, walking through the forest with her following.

Occasionally, he would turn and wander in a different direction.

"You're like a magic sniffer dog." She joked.

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Umm…a very, very hot magic sniffer dog in a totally not ridiculous horned helmet?" Darcy tried.

Loki shook his head in exasperation. "I cannot believe I'm spending my last hours alive with you. Willingly."

Darcy grinned. "Come on, you love me, really."

Loki looked slightly alarmed.

Darcy realised that might not be a common phrase on Asgard. She coughed. "Um, not that way, come on." She nodded ahead. Jesus, why did her last hours have to be so awkward?

They walked for a bit, stumbling over branches and their minds wandering back to the chaotic fight.

"You do realise finding this may not save the universe. It will just prevent Hel from being able to torture souls after this." Loki said.

Darcy shrugged. "In which case at least we are getting rid of the eternity of torture part of the Ragnarok deal. I mean, I don't want the world to end but I don't know what else we can do now. The least is to make sure Hel doesn't get to anyone."

She leant into him as they walked. "It's a shitty situation, but I'm going to try to make it just a little bit better."

Loki nodded. "Well, let us hope the Helm is here."

"I also have a question." Darcy started.

She expected a sarcastic comment, so took his silence as a "go ahead."

"I get the whole everyone dying thing like with the massive war and the amount of creepy creatures which cause tidal waves and stuff. But how does that destroy the universe?" She asked.

"The universe exists in a fragile balance of chaos and order. Even a large degree of chaos caused by war would not affect it much, but Ragnarök is effectively pushing the chaos beyond control. The universe begins to come apart as the magic that binds it together is removed." Loki explained.

She frowned, not so sure she understood. She was still getting her head around the whole magic is science thing, Jane might be able to understand it but Darcy could barely attempt to.

"So if we somehow managed to restore order then-"

"No." He interrupted before she could get her hopes up. "Darcy, you don't understand just how much order would be required. Simply returning things to how they were before would be impossible, that would still mean the chaos outweighed it. You would need something that was the equivalent of the surplus of chaos, but in order. And the only thing that would be is a new universe being created to replace the old one."

"So that's why the rebirth thing happens? As a reaction to Ragnarök?" Darcy asked.

"Yes." Loki confirmed.

Now she knew why he was the God of Chaos as well as Mischief.

"But if Ragnarök didn't reach its full level of chaos like with you not killing Heimdall and Thor not going off to fight that sea monster?" She tried. She really wasn't one for giving up and clearly Loki was getting annoyed by it.

"In honesty, I do not know." Loki said. "It may prevent the collapse of the universe but…there would be serious repercussions of Ragnarök, and I do not know if it would just be better for a new universe to be born."

"Dude, do you want to not exist because I don't?" She asked.

"We would all be reborn. Simply with different lives." Loki shrugged.

Darcy raised an eyebrow, finally realising why Loki wouldn't mind it. "So you're hoping all the bad stuff would be changed? No secret 'you're a Frost Giant' or time spent in the cells?"

Loki did not reply but simply carried on trekking through the woods. Darcy took this as confirmation enough.

"But what about the good stuff? Like fun childhood memories and Frigga and m-" She'd been about to say her but didn't think she could bear the answer if Loki still said he'd rather be reborn. "My awesome skills in bed." She said at last.

He turned, eyes meeting hers telling her he knew exactly what she had been about to say. "We would find each other in the next world." He said. "That is how it works. The same people, but alternate lives in an alternate universe."

"I don't want to be with you in some alternate life I want to be with you in this one." She said, scowling.

"You may not have a choice." He said.

"So what, my options are be tortured in Helheim, or be reborn in a completely different universe with a completely different life?" Darcy asked. "Is there a third option?"

"Let us hope so." Loki said.

She didn't want to keep thinking of it but it was hard not to.

"We are nearing the strongest point." Loki said.

Darcy nodded, trying not to be too hopeful that the Helm would be there.

"So when we find it how do we destroy it?" She asked instead.

"Ordinarily, it would require the combined force of the infinity stones." He said.

"However, simply moving it from this safe realm would mean Hel would lose her power. Her dead may turn on her, or she may simply be killed in battle. And Helheim too is connected to the Helm. Without it, those who die today and those who are dead will be reborn rather than sent to the afterlife."

"Great." Darcy said. Hel dying was good, and her being responsible for it would be good enough even if she didn't deliver the final blow.

The forest grew sparser as they carried on walking. Darcy was glad Asgardian armour was so lightweight, or trekking in it would have been a nightmare.

"Loki, are we being selfish?" She asked. She didn't really know why she was asking Loki when his whole thing was being selfish. "Like Hel might torture us, but everyone else would be together in an afterlife. Isn't that a good thing?"

"Can you not tell from the fact Hel caused the apocalypse that she enjoys hurting people? She would grow bored and wish to play with another victim. Though I imagine she would never truly tire of what horrors she could concoct for us. So no, I do not think it is a good thing. Frankly even if it were I am willing to be selfish if it means you are not being tortured by Hel." Loki said simply.

Darcy realised he was right. About both of those. "Yeah, I don't really care either. I am not letting her anywhere near you." She said.

"Please, Darcy. I do not care what she says or threatens, if this does not work and you encounter her do not provoke her any further. Do not cause yourself more harm. Especially if she does something to me, I assure you I am not worth that." He said.

"Shut up, you know you are." Darcy said. "She's going to torture me either way and I won't give that bitch the satisfaction of seeing me beg." She tapped the hilt of her sword still strapped to her back. "Besides I'm armed to fight."

"And you are sure we cannot just give this up and have sex instead?" Loki asked.

"Yep, pretty sure." Darcy said.

"Then you may wish to stop saying things like that." He smirked.

"Or you could learn to control yourself?" Darcy suggested.

He laughed. It was amazing how easily his laughter came these days and it warmed her heart every time she heard it, remembering a time when each small smile was a victory.

His laughter abruptly stopped, as a clearing came into view.

Large stone slabs were arranged in a circle, several standing vertical with horizontal ones on top. Radiating out from it were fine webs of gold light forming a sparkling ceiling over it.

And within was a black helmet, blacker than anything she'd ever seen like the colour had depth, sucking the colour of everything around it in. The metal covered the forehead, cheekbones and nose and was carved in the shape of a face, half of it skeletal and half eerily beautiful.

"Umm," Darcy started, not really knowing what to say. "Actually you know what just explain the whole thing."

"It is an ancient formation to ensnare magic which is why it felt so concentrated over here. Hel is using it to increase her power which is why there were so many dead warriors on Vigrid." Loki said.

"It looks a bit like Stonehenge." Darcy said.

"Stone what?" Loki asked, scowling at her.

"This tourist thing on Earth. It was one of the signs of the convergence or something, and Erik ran around it naked." Darcy said.

"This man sounds odd." Loki said.

"This man is only odd because you mind controlled him." Darcy snapped.

"Does Barton act this way?" Loki asked pointedly.

"Well, no…shut up. Anyway Stonehenge, it's this thing in England. Forget I mentioned it." Darcy grumbled.

"It is an ancient formation." Loki said. "A similar kind to blood magic in that it is little used now but I do not find it hard to believe they were made on Midgard too. They could be used in many ways."

"Okay well, great magic lesson." Darcy said. "Let's go grab this thing."

Loki grabbed her arm as she stepped forwards.

"No." He said. "You cannot break the circle, the energy trapped within it would destroy you."

"Then what do we do?" Darcy asked.

"Destroy the circle, or redirect the energy elsewhere." Loki answered.

Darcy looked at the heavy rocks and decided she'd need a crane to move those.

"So can you do that?"

Loki sighed in irritation, hand going to the back of his neck as he looked at the structure in front of him. He looked so disappointed that Darcy wondered if she'd managed to get his hopes up too.

He shook his head. "Yes." He said at last. "Yes I can do it."

Darcy's eyebrows furrowed. "I sense a 'but' somewhere there."

"But Hel will know. She will know what is happening, and who is causing it." Loki said.

"Oh." Darcy said, the excitement she'd felt at finding the Helm falling.

Then again, it wasn't like she expected it to be easy.

"We need a distraction or something." Darcy suggested.

He gave her a withering look. "Do you not think if a battle of all the races of the nine realms is not distracting enough that anything we can concoct will be?"

"Then what?" Darcy asked. "We have to do something."

Loki looked pretty hopeless. "We do it quickly." He decided. "The moment that net of energy disappears run for the Helm. I will move us as soon as we touch it."

"This isn't going to work, is it?" Darcy asked in defeat.

"Are you not usually the optimistic one?" Loki asked.

"I think my hopelessness is a sign of how bad a plan this is." Darcy said.

"It is the only one we have." Loki said.

"Are you not usually the pessimistic one?" Darcy asked.

"I said only, not good." He replied.

Darcy grinned. "Good, I was worried it really was the end of the world then. Anyway, we need to hurry. How do we do this?"

"As I said, this kind of magic is ancient. As old as blood magic." Loki said.

Darcy groaned. "More blood?" She pulled out a clean dagger rather than the one she'd been using. "Come on then."

"Darcy," He said, grabbing her arm.

She turned, lips parted as she started to ask him what was wrong. Lips he took advantage of as he pulled her to him, pressing his to her and pulling her waist closer to him.

His kiss was insistent and sent her head spinning.

Butterflies multiplies in her stomach and she found himself pulling him closer, their bodies pressed against one another. She went on tiptoes, her hips nearing his.

His hand moved to her head, his fingers tangling in her hair as he tried to pull her closer, his other on her back, any distance between them too much.

He pulled his lips away, and her eyes opened to find his staring straight into them.

"If this is it," He breathed. She could feel each word on her skin. "Then thank you."

"For what?" She asked, head still spinning from his kiss.

He laughed but it was short and breathless. "For not letting me give up, for reminding me there were things worth living for. For teaching me how to love again." He answered, his low voice sent tingles down her spine. Or maybe it was the words. "Choose one."

She shook her head. "What?"

"I love you, Miss Lewis." He said. His thumb ran in small circles along the small of her back.

"I," Her words sounded breathy as she spoke. "I think I love you too."

He smiled, that slightly crooked one of his that always looked more like a smirk.

She wanted to know what it felt like against her lips.

"You think?" He asked.

"I'm like 97% sure." She said in a rush. "I just don't want it to be a 'the world is ending so I'm saying it anyway' kind of thing."

He laughed: a short, single breath. "I will happily take 97%."

And her lips were on his again, they felt so soft, just like they had the first time they'd kissed. She remembered she'd wondered if he used chapstick.

His tongue moved against the roof of her mouth, tracing like he was savouring every moment.

His breath filled her lungs, and she wondered how her human body was able to contain everything she was feeling.

She pulled away, pushing him to a safe distance. Not as intimately close as they were before.

"Okay, okay I'm like 99.9% sure." She said. "But we…I mean we kind of have a job to do. And…we need to do it now, because even now I kind of hate myself for not just dragging you off to the bushes and having my way with you."

"Your way?" He quirked an eyebrow.

"Yes, yes." She said quickly. "An incredibly filthy way involving you on your knees and me wearing that ludicrous helmet of yours which for some reason… I mean was it made to make your bone structure look even more ridiculously hot than it already does?"

"Miss Lewis, you are not making this task look tempting." He told her.

She glared at him. "Come on, the quicker we save the universe the quicker we can have amazing sex."

"You know, this may not stop the universe." He said.

"Yeah yeah, then we go out with a bang." Darcy said, waving away his warning speech.

He looked unimpressed.

"What?" She asked. "It's the end of the universe, and I can't even make shitty puns?"

"May I retract my earlier statement?" He asked but the tone of his voice was joking.

She picked the dagger up that she'd dropped when she'd been…manhandled.

"Nope. Come on, let's do this and run to the helm."

She started walking towards the stones.

"We'll use my blood." She said. "You need to be ready in case Hel comes. And obviously have enough magic to get us away again."

"We need both of our blood." Loki answered. "It's doubly bonded so that no one can steal what is inside for their own greed."

"And Hel designed that? Like knowing there are two of us?" Darcy asked.

"Rest assured Hel never imagined anyone would be here, let alone us. She believes we are firmly under her control. No, it is an effect of the structure." Loki answered.

"Okay well…" She lifted the dagger to her hand. At Loki's look, she could tell he wasn't happy. "I have armour on, it's this or my neck or something." Darcy said.

She took his silence as an unhappy gesture for her to continue.

She made a long but shallow cut across the palm of her hand, wincing at the sting.

She passed her dagger to Loki who frowned. "You expect me to use the same dagger? Do tell me notice of how infections work has reached Midgard over the centuries."

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Oh my God, you're such a hygiene freak." She said as he pulled out one of his own daggers. "Like yeah the world is ending, but oh my god what if I get an infection before I inevitably die?"

Loki ignored her, pulling his own sleeve up an inch to cut along the back of his wrist.

"Wipe your blood on each stone as we pass. And be careful to stay outside of the circle." He said.

She nodded.

Loki began chanting under his breath, the words sounding somehow simultaneously harsh and melodic.

He dragged his arm down the stone leaving a smear of blood behind. Darcy followed, a parallel line of her own blood- slightly lighter- next to Loki's. Some of his clung to her palm, but she hoped that wouldn't mess the spell up too much.

Still muttering words, he began to walk to the next stone, moving clockwise around the circle.

Darcy followed, the action of smearing her hand across rough stone opening the cut even more so that she never had to. The same was happening to Loki, their blood merging on the stones.

Her hand began to throb, but she barely noticed.

As they reached the last stone her eyes fixed on the helm and she prepared herself to run.

Loki wiped his hand and Darcy lifted her own, shaking to copy.

Loki let out a harsh sounding final word.

The light above them shattered, raining sparks down around them.

"Now!" Loki yelled. Her feet had never moved so quickly.

"I don't think so." An irritated voice said.

 _Hel!_  Darcy thought but she carried on running, her heart beating rapidly.

She jumped for the helm, her hand gripping hold of it before she wildly looked round for Loki.

Before she could even focus, though, she was being shoved into the darkness.

When the ground met her feet again she blinked.

She was in Helheim.

Alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from The Captain by Biffy Clyro. I know I know I am a horrible person who can't update regularly. But you only have to deal with my erratic exam schedule for two more chapters...


	32. This Bloodstained Throne

Hel screamed but Loki barely heard, the effort to force someone to travel without him- it was strenuous enough with him there- had exhausted him and he slumped against the rough stone.

It was the last one they'd marked.

Darcy hadn't even noticed he hadn't been running.

But if he had been then he never would have been able to throw his dagger at Hel to give her time to get away with the Helm.

Of course the dagger had not wounded Hel but Darcy was gone. With the Helm.

His heart beat in triumph and he smiled, unable to hide his happiness at having managed to subvert Hel's plans.

"No!" Hel wailed again.

He felt a small twinge of guilt at the fact he did not know if Darcy had made it to Helheim successfully, and at the fact even if she had she would be dealing with the horrors of that place. But then again, he knew how equally important it was to her to stop Hel. More important than she viewed her own life. She wasn't here. That was all that mattered.

"You." Hel turned to him. "You did this."

"Did what exactly?" He asked. But he knew, and he could barely keep the smile from his face. He knew he'd caused horrors, almost too many to count. And maybe he'd tried to excuse them, tried to convince himself the humans were killing each other, convinced himself he was saving them by ruling them. But it was all to cope with being forced to act, to take back some small measure of control.

But here. he'd done this. His action. His choice.

"Came here!" Hel snarled, stalking towards him. "Took the Helm from me!"

"Well, they were both Darcy's idea, really." He said, unable to summon the energy to do any more than talk.

"The girl…" Hel sneered.

"Upset that you cannot follow her?" Loki asked, frowning in mock sympathy. "I imagine that without the Helm, all your power is gone, a true shame really."

"Not all of my power, Frost Giant." She snarled. She pointed her staff at him, the sharpened bone glistening as it caught the light. "Sending the mortal away must have cost you, shall we see if you have energy enough to fight this off?" She grinned wickedly.

Well, Loki had hardly sent Darcy away on the belief he would live to see her again. He'd said what he needed to, and his last weeks, despite everything else, had been better than the years before. Like being able to breathe again after being held under water. He rolled his eyes at Hel's words.

Honestly, he would rather die, than be stuck on Idavoll with Hel.

"I can still make you pay for what you have done." She said. And the staff moved.

* * *

Loki…Loki...she looked round desperately, but the realisation that he wasn't there hit her like a punch to the gut.

_She was going to kill him!  
_

Adrenaline flooded her veins, still increasing and making her feel powerful, but she wasn't there. There was no flight or fight because she couldn't help him.

Hel would crucify him.

Had he planned this? Maybe he just realised in that moment that it was the only way to get the Helm out of Idavoll.

Darcy, however, suspected he'd planned this from the moment he had found out that Hel would be alerted when they broke the circle.

Urgh no, she would kill him if she saw him again. If Hel didn't do it first.

And then she heard the screams.

She'd been so focused on Loki she hadn't even registered that she was in Helheim.

And now that she had she wished that she hadn't.

The horrible sights of torture were impossible to ignore.

The screams, though less abrasive, were still there.

She pushed them away forcefully so she could focus, and was shocked when they stopped completely rather than just being tuned out.

She glanced round. The torture was still happening.

She winced as one man's innards fell out, his mouth open but no sound coming out.

God, she just wanted it all to stop.

They disappeared.

Darcy blinked, mouth gaping in shock as she looked round.

Had she…did she cause that?

She closed her eyes.

"I want Loki." She said.

When she opened them, he wasn't there. Must have been a coincidence then.

She still felt the effects of the adrenaline, even though she didn't feel the nervousness anymore.

She didn't know what to do. She just wanted someone to come and tell her, and make decisions, and all would be well.

"Miss Lewis, I presume?" A voice said.

Darcy turned and saw a familiar looking woman walking towards her.

Frigga! She looked the same as she had in Loki's memory.

"Um yes?" Darcy stuttered. "I mean uh yeah, I'm Darcy and you're Loki's mom?"

Frigga smiled. "So rarely am I referred to as that son's mother. It is a nice change."

"Uh right." Darcy said. "Anyway speaking of your son, Hel is this close from killing him, and I need to help him."

"She cannot truly kill him." Frigga said.

Darcy raised an eyebrow, before realising what she meant. "Oh yeah well no, because I have the helm, and Helheim isn't immune from Ragnarök, but still. I'd rather she didn't kill him in a painful way."

"That is not quite what I meant." Frigga smiled indulgently.

Okay, only then was Darcy hit with the realisation that she was meeting Loki's mom. Like, meeting his mom in the position of girlfriend or whatever.

"Then what?" Darcy asked confused. "Uh, Your Majesty?"

Frigga laughed. "There is no need for that here. And certainly not from you." Frigga smiled. "No, it is an interesting thing, blood magic. You see, the ruler of Helheim has complete control over it. No one could take the Helm from Hel because she kept it here. But she decided to move it and well…here you are. And from the looks of it you may have had some of my son's blood on your hand too."

"What?" Darcy asked completely lost.

Frigga gestured to the Helm still in Darcy's hand.

Darcy looked and what she saw made her drop it.

"Holy shit!" She exclaimed, forgetting who she was in the presence of. "Oh my god that's! That's….What the hell does that mean?"

Where before half the Helm had been Hel's bone face and half her normal face, it was now split between two different faces. Namely, her and Loki.

Frigga grinned. "Well, I believe it means there are new rulers of Helheim."

"That's impossible." Darcy muttered.

"Not impossible, dear. Just very unlikely." Frigga said. "So yes, do not worry about Loki. He cannot die and even if he could, you would not allow him to.

"I have to go help him." Darcy said.

"You are receiving power from the Helm, are you not?" Frigga asked. And now she mentioned it, Darcy realised the adrenaline was long gone, and she still felt like she was gaining strength.

"Uh yeah, now that you mention it." Darcy said.

"You need only put it on to complete the power transfer from Hel to you and Loki." Frigga said.

Darcy frowned at the Helm. She couldn't help but feel like a child playing dress up wearing that thing.

Still, Frigga was looking at her expectantly so she raised the Helm to her head.

* * *

All at once, Loki felt his power return to him. His power and more, but he was too busy dodging the tip of Hel's staff to pay attention to that.

He turned, expecting to see her lunge for him again, but instead saw her fly backwards through the air.

He flexed his hands, knowing he had access to more magic than he had ever had in his life, and not fully understanding why.

He turned his view in the direction Hel had been knocked from and saw Darcy standing there with her arm outstretched. Ordinarily, she might have looked ridiculous, but with her Asgardian armour on, and fire burning in her eyes she looked deadly.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded.

"Helping." She snapped.

"I did not send you away for…and where is the Helm?" He asked.

"It's a long story, shush." She said, walking forwards towards Hel.

He could do nothing but watch in vague awe- that he would, of course, deny if asked about.

"Hi bitch, nice to see you again." Darcy said.

Hel started to get up.

"Sit." Darcy snarled, flicking her hand. "Or better yet actually, kneel." She flicked her hand again. Darcy flashed him a grin. "Oh okay, I can see why you wanted everyone to do that. It  _is_  kind of fun."

Loki's eyes widened. Darcy couldn't do magic. And if she could, why in the Nine Realms had she been letting him do all of it?

She turned back to Hel, still smiling, and Loki had to admit he very much liked the look of Hel on her knees too.

He walked over to Darcy.

"As you might be able to tell," Darcy said to her. "There's been a change in management."

Loki frowned at her…did she mean…?

"What are you going to do to me?" Hel demanded, glaring at them.

"Well I have an idea, Loki, do you have anything?" Darcy asked.

"Kill her?" Loki suggested, voicing what he'd wanted to do for a while.

"Yeah, that makes her our problem for eternity." Darcy said.

"What?" Loki asked. What in the Nine Realms was she talking about? She spoke in nonsense often, but this felt like something he should actually understand.

"Yeah we're kind of the God and Goddess of the dead now, oops." She said. "It's kind of awesome but whatever. Anyway, I was thinking curse her so she can't die, so we never have to see her again, and let her live her life with that ugly skin condition, powerless out here."

He was still getting over the God of the Dead title he now apparently had, but now that she mentioned it, he did seem acutely aware of…well, Helheim. No, he didn't want this. He deserved no throne.

"The only other being cursed not to die was Thanos which…well, if he had not been, it would have made my life easier." Loki said, not wanting Hel to become the next Thanos. "I say we kill her, and treat her like anyone else."

Darcy looked at him in shock. "You don't want to like torture her and stuff?"

He scowled. "Contrary to popular belief, I am not a sadist. And I would not want her to gain the satisfaction of knowing we singled her out. Besides, we are not the only ones who deserve justice, I think we should let the inhabitants of Helheim have some say."  _Helheim_ , even the name rolled off his tongue with ease. Like he was made to say it.

Darcy nodded. "Cool I'm up for that. Do you want the honours, or shall I?"

Loki smiled. Well, he may not have been a sadist but he did want revenge. "No, I believe I shall enjoy this."

He picked his remaining dagger, and sent it spinning at her throat.

Blood bubbled from her mouth but he turned away, not even giving her the satisfaction of watching her die.

"So we are in charge of the dead?" Loki asked.

Darcy nodded and showed him her hand, the inside of which held a very faint pink scar. "I still had blood on me, yours as well, when I took the Helm. Apparently, it did some blood magic thing."

"Who told you this?" He asked, knowing she knew nothing of blood magic other than what he had told her.

"Your mom." Darcy said.

Mother…he would…if he was God of the dead…

She nodded. "Yeah, it's like they never left us now."

And he knew she was thinking of her father.

He laughed, unable to stop the happiness he felt from escaping.

Darcy swung her arms round him, and he embraced her in return.

Somehow his lips found hers, and they kissed until the lack of air made his head spin. He supposed she was no mortal now. Then again, that effect could have simply been her.

"What now?" He asked. "What do we do now?"

"Well," Darcy said. "First, I am now blocking all new souls."

"What?" He asked, wondering whether he'd be able to stop it. How did splitting ancient powers work?

"Don't worry, not permanently." She said quickly, and he exhaled in relief. "Just…no one else dies in Ragnarök. Hopefully, when they realise they can't kill their enemies, peace will form. Tentatively at least."

Loki nodded. It was as good a plan as any. And death was the chaotic answer to life. Perhaps that much order…He could hope.

A crease appeared between her eyes.

"But we really have to go back to Vigrid." She said. "We have to make sure they're okay because…I mean if we haven't stopped Ragnarök, and have only stopped Hel…"

Loki understood. If they'd only managed to stop Hel, Ragnarök was their fault. They would be responsible for the destruction of the universe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from Iter Impius by Pain of Salvation due to a recommendation by myska-na-mrazu. Yeah I lied about chapters because I keep rewriting the end (how do you end an event this big, I keep changing my mind) but yeah. Not many left.
> 
> Please comment.


	33. Faith Caught Up In Flame

**TW: Sexual Assault**

* * *

Loki transported them, because Darcy didn't really trust her new magical abilities.

If she had been hoping for peace on the fields of battle, she was sorely disappointed.

It was carnage. No longer chaos, but its aftermath: bodies, blood, guts and things she didn't even want to guess at, littered the surroundings. The expected metallic tang of blood hung in the air, but it was mixed with rot and faeces to form a heavy, thick aroma that made her stomach heave.

Loki glanced at her.

"You are the goddess of death, and yet you are nauseated by this?" He asked.

"Anyone would be nauseated by this." She snapped, straightening up shakily. It was a good thing she hadn't eaten in a while. She could barely reconcile Vigrid with the paradise she'd seen when they'd arrived.

"You grow used to it." He said.

"Even you can't have been in a battle this bad." She said.

Loki glanced around before swallowing. "No. I have not." He admitted.

Darcy saw his eyes linger on the body of a Jötunn who, judging by the dagger lying nearby, had murdered the pink skinned woman beside him, but not before she'd been able to slit his throat.

He wrenched his eyes away before the sight physically pained him.

Darcy had to remind herself that they weren't gone. Not really. A tragedy yes, but they would be waiting in Helheim when they returned.

"Come," Loki said. "We should find the others?"

"They're here?" Darcy asked.

Loki nodded and gestured to the distance, where Darcy could just see a shapeless mass which she assumed was people.

They picked their way over, navigating around the various body parts.

Soon, the mass separated into discernible shapes. At least the battle had considerably shrunk, she supposed.

Darcy stumbled, as a sudden jolt of pain pierced her head.

She heard Loki groan in pain beside her.

"What was that?" She asked.

"I don't know." Loki said.

Darcy looked round curiously, wondering if it was someone causing it. But no, it was probably just some effect of having Hel's power.

"Well let's go." She said quickly.

It didn't take long to reach the edge of the battle. It was still waging, but not as viciously as before.

In the centre, she saw the giant that had crushed the Bifröst. Mjolnir flew at its shoulder.

Loki seemed to see the same time she did.

They'd barely glanced at each other, before they were running through.

Darcy pulled her taser out just in case.

Another jolt to her head sent her stumbling, but she managed to keep herself upright.

She was almost there, when an elf fell into her, a dagger buried in its shoulder.

She just managed to step out of the way, as the elf screamed in pain.

The screams abruptly stopped as he brushed past her.

By the time he hit the floor he was dead, eyes staring vacantly at the sky.

Loki hadn't noticed, and had carried on going, but Darcy couldn't help but remember the hands of Hel's undead, colder than ice as they reached for her.

Hel's words echoed in her head.  _"My creatures have the touch of death. Had they touched you anywhere else, your soul would have been sent here immediately."  
_

_The touch of death?  
_

She stared at her hand incredulously, unable to process what was happening to her. 

It didn't feel real. None of this, not even the battle in front of her felt real.

Suddenly, the giant was in front of her, sword of fire swinging around her.

She stuck her hands out instinctively, to guard her from the flames.

It's foot crashed, a great castle of flesh, less than a metre away from her. The ground vibrated from the impact.

She moved without thinking, not even sure what she was hoping for, before it was falling.

People screamed, and scrambled out of the way.

As it landed, the ground shook so violently, she fell to the floor, hands coated in the waste embedded in the land. She knew it was dead. Knew it somehow, with some sense she'd never had use of before.

A cloud of smoke erupted and as it cleared she saw Thor and Jane and the others, climbing to their feet and squinting at her.

Loki was on the other side, gaping.

"Darcy?" Jane asked with disbelief. "Are you okay?"

Darcy stood up, not really knowing the answer to that question.

"I…I think so?" She answered.

Her head was pounding, and she felt like she had fire in her veins. The power running through her hurt, but it was like the pain from exercising- it made her feel powerful. It was a reminder that she was alive. Miraculously.

Loki was at her side before she'd even noticed he'd moved.

"Was that you?" He asked, bringing his lips close to her ear, so that the others couldn't hear.

She didn't know how to respond to that.

Was it her? Had she killed that giant? And if she had, then how? Did she really know it was her or was it just a strange coincidence?

"Yes." She said, speaking the truth before she had time to think it.

"We need to go." He said.

"What?" She asked, turning to him.

"If you can kill by touching," His words struck like a knife to her skin. Whatever she had done, his words made it sound so violent. "Then you cannot hope it will go unnoticed if we stay. The first time your friends discover what you are, it will be by witnessing violence and destruction. Believe me, it will not endear them to the change."

Darcy met his eyes as he finished, seeing the sincerity in them glistening like dropped pennies.

He was right. And he was being right to protect her.

But it still wasn't enough.

"I know. And if this were any other situation, I would agree and would probably be in hiding. But it's Ragnarok, Loki. If we can control who is dying, we might be able to stop it. Screw what everyone else thinks. They'll either fear me or they'll be dead, and I'll take the former any day." Darcy said back.

She looked away to check on the others, and saw them wrenching apart fighters.

"That is easy to say, Darcy. Not so easy to bear." He said, following the direction of her gaze with his own. "And as for your intentions, do you really believe we should be controlling who lives and dies? That is a lot of power to wield."

"Loki, we caused Ragnarok the question of whether we should have that much power was needed long ago." She looked at him. "Will people not dying lessen the chaos?"

She wasn't really sure she understood that nonsense, but then again she didn't really understand much here. She was winging it in the dark.

"Maybe. Whether it will be enough is another question. It won't be if they keep fighting." He said.

"Then we need to take out the monsters that are causing them to keep doing so out of fear, right?" She asked, thinking of the serpent and giant.

Loki didn't answer. It was obvious he agreed, but was reluctant to admit it.

Darcy turned away, contemplating where best her help was needed.

She was too scared to go right into the fray, any brush could mean death.

Until her eyes saw something familiar.

Her hand reached out for Loki's arm almost instinctively.

"Loki." She said, pointing into the middle of the amassed fighters.

He didn't have time to see the portals, the gaps in space that Heimdall had come through. The ones that were aligning but not like when the Dark Elves came. The ones that were gathering into an almost circular formation.

He didn't have time to turn before an explosion crashed through her ears and her body went flying.

The ground hit her like a freight train, not knocking the air from her lungs so much as tearing it free.

She coughed, gasping for air as she lay dazed by the sudden pain. She could hear screams. Gone were the noises of fighting, in their place the sound of terror.

A face appeared above her, blurry and out of focus but she knew who it was nonetheless.

"You are all right." Loki said, not a question but a breath of relief.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Not how I would describe this feeling."

She felt like she'd broken something. A lot of somethings.

She tried to focus, willing his features into focus.

"I merely meant you are alive and…not seriously hurt." He said, taking her hand in his in an attempt to help her up.

Getting up was the last thing she wanted to do but she wasn't going to face the end of the world on her back in the dirt.

Moving made the pain worse, and she was unable to stop a groan escaping her lips.

At that, Loki's other arm went round her waist to help lift her.

She noticed a slight trickle of blood from the corner of his lips and lifted her thumb almost absent-mindedly to wipe it away.

"You're hurt." She stated.

Loki smirked. "Hardly." Finally on her feet she fell against him, unable to quite gain her balance. "You on the other hand…"

She struggled, forcing herself to get over whatever injuries were stopping her from acting like a capable human being. It was her head, she decided. She must have hit it as she fell. Her ears were ringing and balance seemed a hopeless dream.

"Were you not in the explosion?" She asked, he'd been standing next to her and she couldn't quite understand how she'd been hurt if he hadn't.

"Yes, however I managed to land on my feet." He said. What was he, a cat?

"Show off." She muttered. "Besides, since when did they have bombs in outer space?" She knew her sci-fi, and was fairly certain that sort of weaponry was an Earth thing.

"I don't believe it was a bomb." Loki said, his voice hinting at something hidden.

Darcy frowned, barely hearing Loki, instead shocked by the sight in front of her.

The fighting had stopped. The wounded were being tended to whilst mourners searched the corpses for their beloved.

The floor below them shook once more.

Darcy clung to Loki's side, the only thing keeping her from falling to the floor once more.

A scream wrenched the air apart, and she turned, expecting to see a mourning creature, and instead gaping in shock as she watched the air explode, pure darkness appearing and taking anything and anyone in its path.

It disappeared in seconds, leaving nothingness in its wake.

"What on Earth…?" Darcy asked, turning to Loki who was watching with an expression of despair so extreme on his face it broke something inside of her.

He shook his head slightly.

"We…we couldn't stop it." He said.

"What?" She demanded, her voice snapping his attention from whatever that black thing was, demanding it back on her.

"We couldn't stop Ragnarok." He said as more explosions filled the air.

Everywhere Darcy looked patches of black were appearing.

"I honestly started to believe we might be able to." Loki said.

"Loki, what is happening?" She asked, not understanding. This was beyond anything she'd seen before.

"The fabric of reality is collapsing in on itself." He answered.

"So this is it?" She asked, her voice holding the tears she was too proud to cry.

"This is the end? It's over?"

"Nothing is ever truly ended." He said, and she knew he was trying to comfort her. In his last moments he wanted her to not be afraid. "We will be reborn. We will meet again. And have a new life together."

"Screw a new life." She said, every optimistic bone in her body struggling and fighting to deny the truth of what was happening. "I want this one. I want this one with you."

Loki said it would be their same selves, but different lives, but Darcy didn't see how that could be true. Those new lives would shape them differently. Who cares if the cores were the same, if their edges didn't fit together?

"I choose now. I choose you." She said, refusing to accept the situation.

"Now is an incredibly short time period." He pointed out.

"I don't care." If now was all they had, then screw it, she'd take every millisecond she could.

Her lips brushed his briefly before her arms wrapped round him, his going round her. Their kiss deepened, each stroke as passionate as it was desperate.

How could she die with Loki, when he made her feel more alive than ever?

Loki started shuddering in her arms.

Her eyes snapped open, and saw blue ones staring back at her. She startled at the unfamiliar colour. 

"Loki?" She asked, not sure how she was able to worry more than she already was but finding fear for him replacing her fear of the Ragnarok.

His lips parted as though he were about to reply before his head snapped back, his eyes clouding, so that they stared without seeing.

She tried to stop him from falling, but was stopped by that same pain in her head, this time exploding, filling her eyes with darkness that she was unable to escape from.

* * *

 

When Darcy was younger, she'd got some bread stuck in the toaster. No one had ever told her not to use a knife to pry it out. She supposed it was one of those things believed to be known- that her mom or a teacher had told her already so no one else had to.

Either way, the feeling of that electric shock was nothing compared to this one.

It felt like every nerve in her body was on fire.

And then she was on Earth. At a party?

She was surrounded by teenagers, all of them carrying cups or bottles of beer.

Darcy squirmed awkwardly against the wall, holding her own cup. She wasn't one for a place like this. All she wanted was to be home, watching TV or with a book.

During college, she would begin to enjoy it, as drinking became more about fun and less about looking cool.

Right now she was too sober for the party and the alcohol was rancid, a goldfish bowl of all the drinks they could sponge from their parents. The result was a murky brown beverage that tasted like medicine.

She pulled out her phone and flipped it open. She'd only come because her best friend had insisted. She liked the guy throwing the party.

But now Emma had ditched her, and she was contemplating phoning her mom to come pick her up.

Seeing she had no text, she snapped the phone shut. Last time she'd seen Emma, she'd been pretty drunk. She couldn't leave her friend like that.

Maybe she'd find James, her current boyfriend, and then go on a search for her friend. Probably starting in the bedrooms. Emma was a flirty drunk.

After scouring the ground floors and being unable to find either of them, Darcy figured she might as well focus on finding Emma without James's help.

She was in the third bedroom she tried, on her knees in front of a guy Darcy's brain refused to recognise, shocked at the truth in front of her.

She didn't know which betrayal hurt her more.

Just as the punch hit her gut, that same shock jolted through her body.

* * *

 

Her eyes opened and she was in her room.

"Honey," Her mom said gently. Her mascara had formed clouds around her eyes which were tinged faintly red.

Darcy's stomach tightened, knowing what she was about to say but refusing to think it. Like thinking it would make it true.

"I just…there were some men at the door." Her mom said. Her voice sounded hoarse. "From the army."

Tears burst out of her before her mind caught up with the reality she somehow knew.

She choked as she gasped for air, sobbing. She never really understood what people meant when they said something felt like their heart had been ripped out, but now she knew just how accurate that was. It was like someone had stolen something that was a part of her, tearing it free and not caring about making it a neat job.

All she had was a gaping hole where something should have been.

Her mom pulled her into a hug. "It was quick…" She muttered into her ear. "It was quick."

Darcy wasn't sure who she was trying to reassure.

* * *

 

Another party.

This time Darcy's veins buzzed happily from the alcohol.

She should stop drinking. It wasn't her first time being drunk but she knew if she carried on she'd be past the good point.

She took another sip.

At this point she didn't even care anymore.

A guy walked past, smiling at her.

She grinned back, he was cute. Curly hair that framed his face so well, it had to be styled.

She downed the cup before going to refill it.

"Don't you think you've had enough?" Emma asked.

Darcy had forgiven her drunken infringement. Ten years of friendship wasn't destroyed that easily.

"Nope because I'm still breathing." Darcy joked. At least she thought she was joking.

 _'Darcy'_  she could almost predict Emma's whine. A few moments later she heard it.

"Your dad wouldn't want this." Emma said quietly.

Darcy turned to her sharply. Emma had been there for her all this time, but this was the first time she'd said something like that. Darcy knew she'd started some bad habits but they were to cope. And they weren't hurting anyone. She made sure of that.

"This isn't about my dad." She snapped. And it wasn't. It was about her.

Darcy drank more, the drink almost tasting nice. A sure sign of how much she'd had.

"Darcy-" Emma tried again.

"Aren't you supposed to be the one getting wasted?" Darcy snapped before walking off.

She leaned against a wall outside. It stank of cigarettes, but Darcy didn't care.

"Hey," Dylan, a guy from her English class asked, coming up to her. "What are you doing out here all alone?"

"Nothing, just needed some air." She said, realising how ludicrous that sounded when this air was filthy.

He touched her hand. "You're cold."

She could smell the alcohol on his breath but drunk it wasn't so bad. She just wanted to be left alone to drink herself into feeling something.

"I am?" She asked, not wanting to be rude.

He nodded, coming closer to her.

A part of her felt trapped against the wall and another part of her was thankful for it.

"Maybe I should help warm you up." He said. Darcy blinked in intoxicated confusion.

His lips were on her before she'd even seen him move. It took her a few seconds to realise what was happening, another for her drunken brain to wonder whether she wanted to be kissing him and another to realise the answer was most definitely no.

"Get the fuck off me." She said. Pushing him away.

"Come on, girl." He said, not getting that she wasn't playing hard to get.

His hand reached out again and her knee moved automatically to his groin.

He yelped in pain as something in her lurched, a twist of something painful in her stomach.

 _This isn't how it went._  She thought. She was supposed to shout at him, not go straight to violence...

Her mind snapped, no longer the Darcy of the present living these memories, but the Darcy who was watching them.

"What the fuck is going on?" She said aloud. Was she hallucinating? Okay so her most painful memories weren't that bad. Pretty standard to be honest. Her dad dying sucked, but this? Being kissed by a drunk guy who wouldn't leave her alone only to be rescued in about two seconds by Emma? This was kind of mediocre at best.

Memories. She thought. That feeling in her gut returned, painful. Like something was inside her that didn't like her being aware of what was happening.

 _Memories. The past. This isn't real._  The feeling inside her was unbearable.

"I don't know what is happening." She said. Because somehow speaking made her feel more powerful than just thinking. "But. It. Needs. To. STOP!"

At her last word, the feeling left her abruptly, its sudden loss more painful than its presence. She crumpled into darkness, awareness sinking into nothing.

* * *

 

A familiar yet thoroughly disconcerting hook dragged through Loki's stomach, his skin scraping through the void.

He landed heavily on a world far from where he had been.

The atmosphere was denser, the pressure greater. No mortal could have survived the realm.

He could almost taste his own fear, his throat closing, suffocating him as he breathed the air he knew all too well.

All thoughts of Ragnarok seemed to evaporate from his mind.

Loki reached for a dagger almost automatically, perhaps hoping for comfort from being armed but knowing logically that it would make no difference.

Whatever horrors he had faced before here, at the hands of Thanos, would be nothing to the ones he would face now.

He'd failed. For that alone he would spend the remainder of his days acting as a knife sharpener. What is it the other had said? That he would long for something sweet as pain?

He had no doubt it was a true threat.

But he'd done worse than fail. He'd not only been unable to get the Tesseract to Thanos, he'd lost the sceptre as well.

He hadn't realised it at the time, Thanos's hospitality rendering him incapable, on the whole, of independent thought.

It hadn't taken him long, in the cells of SHIELD for a thought to take hold. A thought he confirmed in the dungeons of Asgard.

The Tesseract was powerful, yes. But Thanos could easily transport people through space. It didn't make sense for him to want it.

Until Loki realised what the Tesseract truly was, and by association, the reality of his sceptre too. Infinity Gems.

Had he succeeded, Thanos would have had two. Thanks to Loki, he had none.

In any other circumstance he might have felt proud. Here, it was only terror.

He turned round, verifying that it was in fact the same place Thanos had caught him trying to escape last time.

Why was he here?

The Tesseract.

He knew it the moment he travelled. It felt unlike any other form of transportation.

Or the Space Gem, he supposed he ought to say.

Did Thanos have it? Was that why he was here? Had he used it to pull Loki from…

Darcy-

* * *

 

That's where he'd been. On Vigrid. But Thanos had been there too-

Jötunheim.

Why here? Why now?

The last time he'd been here…

He closed his eyes as the memories washed over him.

He'd been king of Asgard. The rightful king of Asgard, truly. And he'd used it to lure Laufey into a trap. He'd killed him.

Because when he was here the time before that it had been on a foolish trip he'd encouraged Thor to take.

A battle that might have got them killed.

But instead Loki faced worse.

His skin turning bluish-grey, not feeling pain but warmth from the area. The feeling of confusion, fear and disgust that mixed in him as he looked down at his arm.

Loki blinked. He didn't want to think of all this.

Why had the space gem brought him here? Who was controlling it?

Laufey's palace was empty. Everyone would have been on Vigrid-

* * *

 

Asgard this time. The vault in which the Casket of Ancient Winters had been kept, before he'd returned it to the Jötunns.

The confrontation with Odin.

This time anger boiled in his veins. The lies he could never forgive.

Memories that had fuelled him subconsciously, for he refused to think of them if he could avoid it.

So why was he here?

He felt the sensation transportation begin.

"Enough!" He snapped.

He became aware of a presence, not outside of him but within him. Like he could feel the blood rushing through his veins.

And he recognised it like a signature, the same magical energy as the Space Gem when it transported him.

Liquid like the aether within him.

And suddenly he realised what was happening. He could feel the energy dragging at him, longing to transport him to some other place. Another theatre for a painful memory. The rock he'd been bound on perhaps? Or the altar on which his lips were sewn stitch by painful stitch shut?

But he refused.

Fighting against it became difficult but he would not be dragged through space. He pictured the energy leaving him, reforming into a gem like it should have been.

The fight became difficult until, suddenly, the energy tore free of his skin. The pain searing him apart. And though he tried desperately to remain conscious, to see what became of the gem, it was a battle he could not win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title from End of All Days from 30 Seconds To Mars. Sorry for the delay, being human has been hard. Anyway, most of the remaining chapters figured out so hopefully shouldn't be too long. 
> 
> Please Review.


	34. Don't Bow Down

Darcy woke on the ground, eyes jolting open in jubilation and shock at being alive to do so.

Her movement mirrored Loki, who she saw next to her.

"We're alive?" She asked sharply, staring at him as though unable to believe what she was seeing.

"I…" He said, looking for the first moment in his life utterly lost for words. He sat up and she did so too.

Only then did she realise she was holding something in her hands.

She uncurled her fingers to reveal a pear-shaped gem, glowing faintly orange.

When she looked over she saw Loki staring in shock at a blue one in his own palm.

When he saw hers, his eyes widened almost comically.

"Did you…?" It was possibly the first time she'd seen him speechless.

"You too?" She asked. "You had memory visions?"

"Memories?" He asked, frowning at her before climbing to his feet. She followed his lead. "No, I had places."

"What the hell was that?" She asked, hoping Loki knew. "And what are these gem things?"

Loki sighed. "I do not know fully. Before the universe there were six singularities. When the universe exploded into existence they were forged into concentrated substances." Loki nodded to the stones. "Infinity gems. My guess is that at the end of the world they expanded into substances again. Or tried to. They were linked to a being on this universe, one who had experienced its magic. The force of the gems was focused on that individual. My guess is that if they were to overcome it they could prevent the gems reverting to their true form. If that happened… the universe would definitely have been destroyed."

Darcy didn't know what to ask first.

"So…by resisting its power we forced them to stay as gems?" She asked.

Loki nodded. "I think so."

"But…Why would an infinity gem be linked to me? And what even are they anyway? How come I got memories and you got places?" She asked.

"Hel harboured the Time Gem. It is what allowed her to kill or curse immortality. She controlled the life-spans of individuals. As well as being able to see the past. It is how she knew so much about me. I would think that the gem latched onto you when you took Hel's power." Loki said. "I remind you, this is all pure speculation."

Darcy nodded. "But why me and not you?"

"You took the power first, I suppose. Or maybe the fact I already had a gem linked to me stopped it? I received the Space Gem, presumably by travelling through the Tesseract. I wonder I did not experience the Mind Gem. It was in my sceptre. Perhaps because the Space Gem had been linked to me, unless another being has forged a stronger connection to it." Loki was still staring in awe at the gems.

"What other gems are there?" She asked, wondering if the others had been successfully forced back into gems.

"The Power Gem," Loki said. "the Soul Gem, and the Reality Gem which I believe is the Aether."

"The Aether?!" Darcy asked. "Dude why didn't you say that first! That would latch onto Jane, right?" Jane had been scary with the Aether, and Darcy had only seen her for a few minutes with it. She'd barely been able to contain it, how could she possibly survive its force being unleashed on her?

"Given what we were shown, I imagine it would simply show her truths about her reality that she refused to acknowledge. There were many ways those stones could have destroyed us, but if mine, well…and yours chose memories then they target emotions." Loki said. His lips thinned like his words pained him. "From what I saw of the wench she appeared strong enough to handle that."

Darcy was too worried about Jane to either tell him off or mock that he'd said something nice.

For the first time she noticed she and Loki were no longer on Vigrid but on Helheim.

Which meant the universe was still in one piece.

"So…these gems would have been what destroyed the universe? And we stopped them?" She asked.

Loki nodded. "I believe so."

"So we stopped Ragnarok?" A grin broke out across her face.

Loki bit his lip. "It certainly seems that way."

"Ahh!" She jumped happily.

"Careful!" He said abruptly. You still hold the stone. We must get the gems somewhere safe."

"We control Helheim right? We can just put them with the Helm in a place no one but us can reach." She suggested.

Loki nodded.

Darcy stared at her gem and focused, amazed at the way magic was humming through her.

The gem disappeared.

Loki looked impressed and a few seconds later his disappeared too.

Darcy's arms were around him in seconds. "We survived! We are alive! We stopped Ragnarok!"

Loki laughed at her excitement, before returning her embrace.

They pulled away and Loki looked round.

For the first time, Darcy realised this was her new home. They stood in a wasteland, nothing for miles. The ground was a dark red, and the sky black.

Everything was lit despite the absence of any light source.

"Homey." She commented.

"We're alive." He said, unable to quite come to terms with it.

That energy from before no longer felt like an intruder. It instead thrummed happily through her veins. She was alive.

"We stopped Ragnarok." She grinned.

Loki's lips were on hers immediately, continuing from where they had let off but this time each movement filled with irrevocable joy.

He pulled away just as her head started to spin.

A look of concentration covered his face. A house appeared in front of them.

She used the word house loosely as it looked more like an exact replica of the palace of Asgard but made of an Onyx like stone. Jet black, but beautiful.

"If you were a building, that is what you would look like." Darcy said.

Loki looked like he didn't know whether to be happy or insulted.

A second later, the scene around them changed. They stood in Loki's bedroom on Asgard. Though she knew she was still in Hel.

Loki shrugged.

"You may change the decor later." He said, smiling in a way that made his eyes twinkle with mischief. "For now all I need is the bed."

"Presumptive. Well, at least we're in a bedroom so I guess I should be thankful we don't have a sex dungeon." She said.

Loki raised an eyebrow but said nothing leading Darcy to wonder whether they did.

She had to admit she wasn't adverse to the idea.

"As I said, any changes you wish to make-" He started.

"Make it not green and black?" Darcy joked.

Loki considered. "Perhaps you could have your own room?"

"I really hope you're joking." She said, remembering old timey romances where they had like three different rooms.

"Yes." He grinned. "I am just…happy you are here."

"You're being so sappy, can you stop because it's scaring me?" She said.

Loki turned to her, hand going to her waist.

"I did not expect to still be alive." He stated. "I certainly did not expect this."

Darcy leant in closer. "Well I guess I can forgive sappiness then." She rested her head against his chest, his heart beating steadily beneath her. A constant reminder that they were alive. That somehow they had survived the apocalypse.

They should get t-shirts.

"I'm really glad you're here with me." Darcy said.

"And I you, though you know that simply because we are in a shared position of power does not mean we must be together like this if it is not what you want. We can-"

"Loki shut up." Darcy said. "I appreciate what you're saying, really I do but we established earlier that I am good with this." She looked up at him and smiled flirtatiously. "Besides, someone told me they loved me and we haven't had celebratory sex yet. Let alone 'holy shit we are alive' sex."

He leant down, lips brushing hers gently. Her lips crackled at his touch, the energy she felt rushing through her veins nothing in comparison to the way she felt when he touched her.

His lips glided softly against hers as he slowly parted her lips. She moved hers against his, not pressing too hard, nor moving frantically, just revelling in the feel of his lips moving against hers.

She caught at his bottom lip between hers and pulled gently. Loki pulled her closer and his tongue licked teasingly along the edge of her lip.

Her hand moved to the back of his neck, her fingers entwining in his hair as she moved her tongue into his mouth, her lips pressing harder as her tongue traced along the roof of his mouth, just like he had done earlier. She moaned against him.

The smell of his leather and soap and sweat was so comforting and familiar. A one constant that had remained with her through all the terror of the last week.

She wanted to drown in that smell. To overwhelm herself with Loki. He was intoxicating.

His tongue brushed hers until their gentle kissing turned hurried and passionate.

His lips pressed against hers so firmly she could almost feel them swelling.

She needed him in a way she had never needed anyone else. His touch was filled with love and affection and she had forgotten, or maybe never until this moment truly appreciated how that heightened rather than distracted from the pleasure.

She regretted every time she'd said love was unnecessary. Then again, she now felt like all those times she'd thought she'd had it, had been very, very wrong.

He broke away from her only to move his lips along her skin, leaving a trail of kisses down her neck and across her collar bone.

She wanted his touch everywhere. She wanted nothing between them.

She'd never felt so intimate with someone mentally, and she needed to make it physical too, to press her naked body against his.

Loki seemed to feel the same, his hands reaching for the straps on her armour.

He smiled at her. "I believe I promised to tear this off you."

She kissed him quickly and forcefully, unable to keep herself off of him.

"Get on with it then." She breathed.

Their lips touched again, frantically kissing as he wrenched her armour free.

She reached for the straps of his, yanking at the buckles to get them off.

It opened, and she felt Loki's chest under her fingers, the muscles hard and beautiful under her hands, moving against them as he gasped for breath.

She felt her own top be pulled from her and she was standing before him in only her underwear.

She pressed herself back against Loki as his lips pressed across her bare skin.

"I love you." He breathed into her skin. She arched into him, the words sending more sparks through her than any touch, even his, could have.

Both of his hands were on her waist and his lips blazed against her and all she wanted was to be closer to him.

"God, Loki," She breathed.

She whimpered as he worked his lips towards the edge of her bra, before reaching his hands behind her to untie the clasp.

One hand remained on her waist as another went to her breasts, stroking them so gently she found herself shivering and arching herself into him even more.

"You are so beautiful." He said as he looked at her, his eyes not full of lust but awe.  
She brought her lips back to his, her hands reaching down to hook in the waistband of his trousers.

His tongue moved skilfully against her, and she moved against him, their whole bodies pressed together as closely as possible, Loki's hand on the small of her back bringing her closer.

"I love you, Loki." She smiled against him and he kissed her more fervently. Just saying it was intoxicating. She wanted to scream it again and again.

She bit his lip hard and he moaned against her.

"I need you." He said.

"I'm here." She said, hands going to untie the laces on his trousers as he did the same to her.

Their underwear was all that separated them.

She could feel his bulge pressing against her stomach, until he lifted her to bring her lips back to his.

Her legs wrapped round his waist, his cock kept from her folds by just two thin sheets of material.

She bit lightly at his lip, her hand rubbing teasingly along the V of his hips.

His hands moved to her ass, her legs still wrapped firmly around him as he carried her the few steps to the bed, lowering them both onto the sheets.

Her lips were still on his as her hand slipped under his underwear, moving her hand gently along him.

Loki arched into her and she moved slightly so that she was over him, knees on either side of him as her hips began to move against him.

"I love you." She said again, needing him closer. She needed to be as close to him as possible. Needed him inside her.

Darcy heard fabric tear as he ripped her underwear off her.

She tugged on his own and he lifted his hips until they were finally,  _finally_ , freed of clothes.

She didn't even need to tell Loki to get inside her, and as he moved in, she gasped from simply having him there at last.

"Darcy," He moaned, moving slowly and sensuously against her.

Darcy rocked her hips and moaned, unable to remain silent.

"You feel so fucking great." She gasped.

His hands tightened on her ass, pulling her against him quicker as their speed increased.

"Loki," His name escaped her lips. " _Fuck_ ," She moaned.

She bucked quickly, his nails digging into her skin.

Loki thrust up and she shivered, feeling herself move to the edge of climaxing.

She clung on, determined that they reach that stage together.

Her hand dug into the bed sheets and one of his moved to hold it.

She moved against him and he hit a point in her that made his name tear free of her lips.

He came, and she felt shivers wrack her body as she continued to shout his name.

She lay on top of him as waves of pleasure crashed down on her, his naked body pressed against hers not helping.

His moans were orgasmic in themselves and she felt a trill of pride that she had caused it.

"Darcy," He breathed.

She hugged against him, breathing deeply.

His arm was around her waist. Thoughts of spooning, his cock against her ass as they hugged filled her mind. Thoughts of innocently shifting against him until she felt him become aroused again so that they could go all over again. She was very prepared for an entire night of sex.

She smiled and pressed her lips gently and swiftly to his.

"Loki?" She asked.

"Hmm?" He replied.

"Can we not investigate the state of the universe, until neither of us are able to walk?" She asked.

"You seem under the impression I have plans that differ from keeping you very much in this bed for the foreseeable future." He answered.

She grinned. "You're such a dork. I love you anyway."

His hand moved to her hip, pulling her closer to him. "You have no idea what it does to me when you say that."

"That you're a dork?" She joked.

Loki snorted in amusement. She'd expected an exasperated eyeroll but his eyes never moved from hers. She'd never seen such happiness in them. "Yes, let us go with that."

She smile and she wondered if she'd ever been that happy either. "I love you, Loki. One hundred percent."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title From Rising Up by Young Guns. I decided my favourite ships are those where cute moments can't happen because both characters are too much of an asshole to let one happen. I figured even though Darcy and Loki are definitely this kind of couple they at least deserved one in a fic dedicated to them. This is the last chapter. Just an epilogue left.


	35. From Beginning To End

Darcy took Loki's hand and looked up at him.

"This is either going to be a disaster or totally hilarious, isn't it?" She sighed, resigning herself today. They'd been putting it off for a while. Two weeks since the end of the world, and they hadn't left Helheim.

To be fair, they'd been kept busy changing the place. Even Loki didn't agree with the torture Hel implemented.

"I would expect it to be both." Loki said. "We don't have to do this."

"Yes, we do." Darcy said. "And besides, your mom would kill you if you didn't."

Loki nodded, an amused smile playing on his face. "Yes, King of Helheim as I am, even I would not be immune to the wrath of Frigga." Darcy had, of course, met Frigga a few times now, and whilst it was nice to see someone else who cared about Loki, he was also incredibly whipped when it came to her.

"Right, I'll try this time." Darcy said. Loki had taught her how to wield her magic, though she still had a long way to go.

She closed her eyes. Loki never had to, but she saw it as a magical stabilizer- when she got the hang of it she wouldn't need to either. She focused on the hall in the palace of Asgard.

She felt the air around her glide through her.

"-do with the injured?" She heard a voice arguing and knew her spell had worked.

She opened her eyes to six shocked faces staring at her and Loki.

"Darcy?" Jane gawped. And then after a moment: "What the hell are you wearing?"

Darcy glanced down at her gem-stoned gown. Loki had pointed out she had to dress like royalty for the people of Helheim not to see her as just another mortal. She agreed, and liked to dress up anyway, though she drew the line at being an all-in-black goth queen. Today's gown was a navy blue.

Jane blushed, presumably as she realised this was her first thought at seeing her friend. Darcy wanted nothing more than to run over to her friend. Loki had reassured her about the Aether, but Darcy hadn't quite believed it, even despite the knowledge that she as Queen of the Dead would know if Jane had met an unfortunate end.

"Loki…" Darcy had expected Thor, but to her shock it was Odin who spoke.

He stared at Loki in incredulity. Loki turned to him, his expression unchanging, but there was a hardness in his eyes she hoped she never saw when he looked at her.

"I thought you dead, brother." Thor said.

Loki didn't turn away from Odin. "Yes well, it wouldn't be the first time that assumption had been made."

Darcy didn't know whether to speak to break the silence. Normally that wouldn't even be a question for her, but she didn't want to make light of Loki's difficult situation by saying something flippant.

"You are contemplating calling the guards." Loki said, and to her surprise, a smirk crossed his face. "I do not recommend that."

"You threaten?" Odin asked, his emotions guarded from betrayal in his voice.

"I warn." Loki replied, a slight chill to his voice. "I do not recommend touching either one of us."

Fandral, Sif, Volstagg and Thor shared a look like they were used to Loki speaking cryptically. Darcy was starting to think Loki was enjoying this.

Jane on the other hand looked confused. "Darcy, what does he mean?"

Darcy smirked at Loki, knowing she couldn't deny him this moment.

The corner of his lip twitched. "Simply put, we are the current rulers of Helheim."

Odin's face paled, and Darcy snorted at the sight. Everyone else was too shocked to say anything.

"Loki," Odin said, his voice carefully measured. "We must speak privately."

"Actually no, we do not." Loki answered bluntly. "I owe you no explanations." At this, his eyes met Thor's, almost accidentally but it became clear to whom he retained some semblance of loyalty.

"Brother," Thor said. "May we step aside?" He gestured to one of the side rooms from the Throne Room.

Loki's jaw set, but he nodded, and Thor and Loki left leaving Odin looking affronted.

"Umm." Fandral spoke, clearly everyone was too shocked to really say anything. "Perhaps we ought to leave these two some privacy as well?"  
Jane looked on the verge of a stroke.

The others left, leaving Jane and Darcy staring at one another.

Jane pushed her hair out of her face and looked at Darcy with confused despair. "Explain that to me again."

Darcy rolled her eyes. "It's really not that hard. Basically, I'm the Goddess of death."

"You're a political science student working in an unpaid internship, how are you the Goddess of death?" Jane asked.

"Some complicated magic thing." Darcy said. "Anyway, you're welcome by the way. That's partly why Ragnarök was stopped. It's a really long story." So Darcy commenced to explain of Hel, the Infinity Stones, blood magic and the Helm.

"You're the reason no one's been dying?" Jane asked. "You could have said earlier!"

"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO STOP HEL, NOT SEIZE HER POWER!" Thor's voice carried through the room.

Darcy glanced at Jane, knowing both of them hoped to avoid an argument between the two. She prayed Loki explained rather than just going to his usual sass defence. She knew it was a longshot.

"That's one of the reasons we're here." Darcy carried on in an effort to ignore what they'd heard. "We decided to stop that now. Anyone whose wounds haven't been sufficiently treated yet will probably die. I'm sorry, but we can't keep stopping it and it's reached the point where it's stopped helping and is now messing with the order Loki keeps telling me has to be restored." Darcy said. At least Fandral seemed okay now. She looked round the empty room. She'd grown so used to Loki's presence that being without it was weird.

She half expected Loki to apparate back home rather than talk to Thor. Still, explaining all of this to Jane made her wish Loki was there to help.

Jane nodded. "Yeah, we were worried about what might happen if it continued. So…God I'm sorry this is so hard to process."

"You're telling me?" Darcy asked, she could barely fathom it herself. The past two weeks felt more like role play or a dream or something.

"It's over?" Jane asked. "Ragnarök isn't happening anymore?"

Darcy shrugged. "I don't think so. It was prophesised to start, not to be successful."

"Thor said you can't subvert a prophecy. Not without repercussions."

"And Loki and I being God and Goddess of Hel isn't a repercussion enough? Besides we didn't subvert the prophecy, everyone just interpreted it wrong. It was the end of the world in a way, you can't tell me things here are the same as they were. Everything's being changed. The universe didn't have to be destroyed to end." Darcy replied and oh god she'd been spending too much time with Loki. She needed to go shoe shopping or something.

Jane contemplated this. "Helheim?" She asked at last. Darcy recognised Jane's "this is weird, I'm changing the subject" tone. "That's where you've been? You're here now, can't you stay?"

Darcy shook her head. "Well physically yeah I could but I have to go back. Like dude, I have to run this place. Worse, Loki has to run it with me, and God it is hard keeping an entire realm of people in check, let alone Loki as well. And we only really felt strong enough to leave today." Stopping the souls leaving had drained them a lot, and Loki was anxious about using the space stone.

Jane nodded. "How is this even something that's happened? Does your mom know?"

"She's our next visit, Loki wants to meet her." Darcy said. Well okay, she was more insisting but he'd agreed nothing could be worse than her dad. Apparently he was less than intimidated by the Norse God, and subjected him to usual boyfriend behaviour, which Loki as a prince was very unused to.

It didn't help that he and Frigga had become friends while watching Loki and her try to fix the world, so Frigga stood by sniggering the entire time.

"And are you going to tell her you're….?" Jane asked.

Darcy bit her lip. "Not today. She'd have me sectioned. Obviously, she'll find out one day but then she'll have no choice but to accept it. Besides it'll be bad enough explaining that Loki is Thor's brother and…well it's not like what happened in New York was a secret."

"Your mom will be fine." Jane reassured her. "She trusts you and if you think Loki is good she'll trust that too."

"I just need to see her. I have to make sure she's okay. Earth was wrecked, Jane." She said. But she also didn't want to think about the impending conversation. Her whole time with Loki, apart from right at the start, when things got intense between them was always overshadowed by this massive apocalypse, and now it was such a change. Even becoming a Goddess had felt like a relaxing end to the fear of the universe being destroyed.

And she had to admit it was exciting to be with Loki like this. She wasn't an idiot, she knew she hadn't been with him very long, and that she was now going to spend eternity living with him but if things went south, like he'd said, having to share power didn't mean they had to be together. That was their choice.

"But how…I mean everyone goes to Helheim right? No matter the species?" Jane asked.

Darcy nodded. "We kind of had to create separate sections. Frost giant paradise is very different from the human one."

"How did they take you being in charge? I mean, you're human and he's…Loki." Jane winced, still clearly not a fan of him no matter how hard she tried. "There had to be people there that were there because of him."

 _Not as many as because of Thor and he changed_ , Darcy thought, irritated, but she didn't want to start a fight with Jane when she'd been so worried Jane hadn't survived the Aether. "He apologised." Darcy said. Which was true. And he'd explained to those who'd died in New York about Thanos, but she wouldn't tell Jane that.

It was Loki's decision if he ever wanted to tell other people.

"Loki apologised?" Jane looked sceptical.

Darcy nodded, not admitting she was surprised herself. "Yeah. I mean you saw him on Svartalfheim when he died. He genuinely felt sorry."

"So you say, but that doesn't mean he'd apologise to everyone else." Jane pointed out.

Darcy shrugged. "He said they deserved to know, and would never respect him as king if he wasn't honest with them." Darcy supposed he'd learned a few things about lying kings.

Jane contemplated this. Darcy thought Loki apologising would be the least shocking thing about all she was saying.

"And you can do magic?" Jane asked, clearly giving up on trying to understand.

Darcy nodded. "It's so awesome. I mean I'm not at Loki's level. He said he'd teach me and he has a lot but not in proper lessons yet. I mean, can you imagine how frustrated he'll get trying to teach me magic? We'll probably end up hating each other, or having angry sex."

"Eww." Jane winced. "I'm sorry, I'm trying, and he may not be evil, but he's still Loki. I don't see the appeal."

Darcy raised an eyebrow, really not feeling the need to defend how sexy as fuck Loki was. "Anyway, it's like I have all this power and I don't really know how to control it. It's also really tempting. You know you're screwed when Loki has to tell you not to do something vaguely mischievous."

Jane laughed.

"Anyway there's something I wanted to ask you, I figured I'd ask you without Thor because it's not his decision." Darcy started, not really knowing how to go about the subject. She glanced at the door through which Thor and Loki had disappeared.

"What isn't?" Jane asked.

"Well part of the job is I can bless or curse someone with immortality, you know, make it so they don't die." Darcy said.

"I don't want to be immortal." Jane said quickly.

"Well no, but I can remove it at any time. You could live longer if you wanted to. As long as Thor, before I removed it or even after a few years if you decide that. I just…I know it's an issue, the lifespan difference. It was Loki's idea actually." He'd said it was always a worry with mortals, and that even with the world ending he was reluctant to get close to someone whose lifespan was so short. That wasn't a problem for them anymore but for Thor it was.

"You could do that?" Jane asked, going wide eyed.

Darcy nodded. She'd kept her explanation of the Infinity Stones brief, and didn't want to bring up the fact she had access to the Time Gem. The fewer people who knew it was on Helheim, the better.

"Oh my god." Jane said.

"You don't have to decide now. You can let me know." Darcy said.

Jane nodded. "Wow. The Goddess of Death…that's so…like not you. Like if you were anything it would be the Goddess of bad puns or knitwear or something."

"Excuse you my puns are amazing." Darcy laughed.

"I'm loving the look by the way." Jane said. "I was more just shocked when you appeared."

To be honest, she didn't really mind dressing like this when she could fix her hair with a snap of her fingers. And she had to admit, she looked amazing.

But then she added a knitted cardigan over it when she wasn't going public. It kind of ruined the whole look. The only downside of looking this hot all the time was Loki was even more thirsty than usual and the dude had the self-restraint of a gnat. Not that she was complaining, really…

"Thanks." Darcy said.

"So you and Loki have been spending all this time playing dress up?" Jane asked.

"Yup." Darcy said. She couldn't wait until they were letting souls in again and had Godly energy to go at it like bunnies on crack. The energy drain had stopped them having as much sex as usual, but it had been nice just doing couply things with Loki that they'd never really had time to before. Eating with each other each day, and falling asleep in each other's arms. Nice as it was, however, she would very happily have more sex back.

"We were so worried when you didn't come back." Jane said quietly. "No one was dying and we knew that meant something had happened to Hel but…this was the last thing any of us would have guessed."

"We tried to come back, I swear." She said.

Jane nodded. "I'm just glad you're safe. Godly status aside."

The door opened and Thor and Loki walked in. Neither looked particularly happy.

Darcy's heart sank.

"You all right?" Darcy asked.

Loki glared at Thor. "He wishes for me to speak to Odin."

Thor glared back. "And he adamantly refuses."

"Well, maybe one day." Darcy tried.

"I have made him swear it." Thor said.

"I have agreed to deliver messages between him and mother, is that not generous enough?" Loki hissed. "I do not see why I should have to deliver these messages in person."

"Come on, calm down." Darcy pleaded, wanting to run over but not knowing how comfortable he'd be with that in front of Thor.

"Both of you." Jane added, looking at Thor.

Loki walked over to her and she resisted the urge to take his hand.

"Don't push it too far." She heard Jane whisper to Thor. They seemed different too. Closer, more accepting of their love and less frightened of it. She supposed she and Loki weren't the only ones to have their relationship affected by the end of the universe.

"You are to remain in Helheim?" Thor asked.

They both nodded.

"Together?" Thor asked.

"Yes." Darcy answered, resisting the urge to lean against Loki.

Thor nodded. "But you will visit?" He looked pointedly at Loki. "Often?"

Loki hesitated before nodding. "Yes."

Thor breathed a sigh of relief. "And you care for Darcy?" He demanded.

Loki frowned and she could practically hear his thoughts calling Thor an ignorant dolt. "Obviously."

"Speaking of," Darcy said, "We need to go." However brief their visit had been, it was obviously too long for Loki. One step at a time, she supposed and she didn't want to push him.

"You must visit soon." Thor said to Loki. "I wish to hear a full account of your trials. With both Hel and Thanos."

Loki had told Thor of Thanos? Wow, maybe he really was trying to share more with Thor.

Loki didn't look happy, but he agreed nonetheless.

"Where is it you are going?" Thor asked.

"Loki's meeting my mom." Darcy said.

Thor's eyes widened. "Truly?" He asked Loki.

Loki nodded, averting eye contact with Thor.

Thor laughed. "Brother, you must truly be enraptured."

Loki smiled at Darcy in a shocking acknowledgement of a public display of his affection. "Well that I certainly do not deny."

"Cutie." Darcy said, leaning up to peck him on the lips.

The uncomfortable look on Jane and Thor's faces almost made her want to turn it into a make out session. Loki looked similar. Dear lord, they were supposed to run a realm. Hel was doomed.

She could kind of understand Thor and Jane's reaction though, they'd only had a couple weeks to get used to them knowing each other let alone loving each other.

"Come on," Darcy said. "See you soon."

Thor and Jane said their farewells, and Darcy and Loki apparated to Earth. It was a lot more pleasant when she was in charge of her own transport, and one of the perks was inter-realm teleporting.

"Are you ready for this?" She asked Loki.

"Absolutely not." He said, looking terrified.

She almost laughed. "You're the God of Death who faced Ragnarök, and you're scared of my mom?"

Loki nodded.

"Good, you're prepared." Darcy grinned teasingly. "And don't worry, you're the God of Death, now so you get in-laws for eternity."

He smiled at her, and she noticed that for the first time since knowing him there was no worry in his eyes. No big issues to think of- just normal, domestic ones.

"You will make it worth it, I'm sure." He said.

She leant against him, inhaling the familiar scent and embracing the arms she knew far too well. Ragnarök may not have been the end of everything, but it had been the end of something. Perhaps they had been reborn with Ragnarök, just in a way no one had expected. Maybe everyone had.

Everything now was new. A new life. A new realm. A new beginning. One that they would face together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ummm
> 
> So that's it.
> 
> A few things I guess if you are still reading this.
> 
> Yes, I must even name my epilogues. Title from Death And All His Friends by Coldplay.
> 
> Wasn't sure how to end this fic. This is about the fifth one I'd written. I suppose with an event as big as Ragnarok it's very hard to then tie it all together at the end. I know it would have made more sense for the world to end but call me a hopeless optimistic I just couldn't stand the thought of writing characters spending all this time trying to stop something from happening just to have it happen anyway. Tragedy is so 1600s. And didn't want too much of an "after" bit as Ragnarok and their attempts to stop it are the main point. 
> 
> I have no future fics planned. Not to say I won't write any, just that my current work in progress is original fic. I normally use fanfic to fix writers block then become too invested. But yes as you may be able to tell from the gaps in between updates and the quality of the writing, home life is a little complicated right now so not much time to think about future fanfictions. 
> 
> But lastly and most importantly thank you to you for reading to the end. Thank you to everyone who has left a review and even those who haven't. Just seeing the number of readers is enough. Thank you, and yes, marvel, I would be happy to write the script for Thor: Ragnarok.


End file.
